Just A Boy In A Ninja Mask
by ZeroTheDestroyer
Summary: Waking up in a Tokyo hounded by demons, aliens, and the Sailor Senshi, Naruto tries to live the life of a citizen. But when every enemy of the city wants his head, can he do that? By himself, with no allies or friends, he may not have an option.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The Boy Ninja

* * *

I grew up in a small village located in the heart of Fire Country. Most of the citizens there called in Konoha, while merchants and clients called it the Village Hidden in the Leaf. It was aptly named when you consider how trees seemed to surround the place from all sides.

Growing up in the Hidden Leaf wasn't easy, at least not for me. From an early age I seemed to have garnered the hatred of people I didn't know, and most of these people seemed to go out of their way to make my life difficult. It wasn't anything major, like beatings, or mob chases. It was much more subtle, much more calculated and somewhat organized.

Since I was only a little boy I didn't understand the full scope of the hatred these people had, so I chalked much of it up to coincidence. So the vendor at the food store charged me slightly higher than he did everyone else. What of it? He was having a bad day. So the girl at the clothing story sold me a beat up orange body suit? No big deal, I liked orange. So I couldn't go to certain restaurants because they weren't serving at the time, even when the place was empty. That's fine, people need a break from work occasionally.

You would be surprised what lengths a child's mind would go through to rationalize the situation in his favor. A child will warp and bend the reality around him to make himself feel more comfortable to the surroundings and act according to what the people want, and that is what I did.

To an extent.

I acted like a child that deserved their contempt, deserved their hatred, and I was paid back with even more of it. Things continued to escalate like this for twelve years and I grew into a habit of antagonizing the people around me, and they did the same in return. I pranked, schemed, blackmailed, and shouted at any villager who made me angry, and they, in return, spread awful rumors about me. Rumors that most people seemed to believe, no matter how bizarre.

It was from these rumors that the children I met in my academy learned about my character, without ever meeting me in person. They heard about me from their parents, and they heard about me from their neighbors and what they heard, they didn't like. I was a pariah , and very hated pariah at that. Unlike the adults, the children had little qualms about getting violent in order to teach me a lesson, and I endured their taunts.

I was too strong to break, too angry at the world to bend to their will, and I had a spirit that called out for something more than just the hand life had given me. I studied and worked as hard as I could to be the best that I could be and, for a time, it worked. It worked until I realized that no matter how good I was, there were certain things that kept me from being the best student, or even a moderate student, in the class.

I couldn't make a simple illusion clone.

You see, I live in a Ninja village. We make our money by collecting jobs from other villages. We've been known to do some of the dirtiest deeds on this side of the Elemental Nations, and we would probably do this until someone powerful enough to stop us comes here and blows up our home sky high, but I doubt that would ever happen.

A person can only be a Ninja if they manage to pass the Ninja Academy, and that's where I was enrolled in . You see I never graduated from the place, and there was a good reason why.

I died.

It started after my third attempt at failing the Academy test. I was told by my teacher, Mizuki, that if I could steal a scroll from the leader of my village, the Hokage, I would be able to pass. It was supposed to be a super secret test only handed out in very special circumstances.

Naturally, I was only too eager to prove to everyone that I could be just as good as they were, so I jumped at the chance to pass the test. I didn't even think about the consequences of my actions, or how illegal my actions were, I was just so desperate to pass. That's how pathetic I was. I was willing to go to jail, just so I could prove to the people who hated me that I was worth something.

I was an idiot. A sad pathetic idiot.

That night I found the scroll in the Hokage's building and stole it. That night I ran to the forest where I was supposed to meet my teacher to hand him the scroll, and that I night I waited for him to meet me while I practiced a Jutsu, a ninja art. The Jutsu I chose to learn was, ironically, a Shadow Clone, a more advanced version of the clone that I couldn't even perform, the same clone that kept me from being your average student.

You wouldn't believe how hard I struggled to learn in for the few hours I had to wait for someone to come and get me, and you wouldn't believe how close I was to dying from Chakra degradation while I waited. Of course I didn't care. I had to learn it, I had to, I had come so far, and I was so close.

So desperate was I to get every aspect of the technique correct, to read every side affect, to completely understand every one of its strengths and weaknesses from the scroll, that I completely missed the shadowy figure that stood behind me.

The shadowy figure that had reached down to my throat, turned it to the side, and severed the back of my neck from the rest of my body.

.

.

"You are awake, thank goodness," someone says. "Your readings said that you flat lined..oops..sorry I suppose you wouldn't know much about that, would you?"

A hand reached down to touch my arm, and something pulled me up and leaned me against something else. I had a hard time seeing in front of me since everything was so blurry, but I had an even more difficult time trying to keep my eyes open.

"I suppose you're still a bit tired,' the kind voice said. "Just lay down on the bed post and I'll get a nurse to come here and feed you."

I tried to tell the voice that I didn't need a nurse, that I was okay, but it wouldn't listen and disappeared. My vision started to color, and I could slowly open my eyes again. I felt so tired, so battered, and I couldn't believe that I was this pitiful. From an early age I had always had a strong constitution, and most of my injuries seemed to heal on their own. I didn't understand why, and I never questioned the reason, but now that I was in a hospital or, what looked like to be a hospital, I was seriously considering what exactly happened to me for me to be in this position.

I moved my hands on the bed and tried to push myself off the white sheets that covered my body and found to my surprise that I could barely move it, as if I hadn't used my arms for a very, very long time. It barely even felt like my arms. As if I was in someone else's body, but that couldn't be right. I looked to a mirror at the side and saw that was the case, I really wasn't in another body.

For some reason I felt like I had to sigh in relief, and shook my head at the sheer stupidity of my action. Gritting my teeth I figured that I had enough time to introspect and so pushed myself off the bed, only to roll desperately to the ground in the next second.

You see my arms worked okay, but my legs were completely frozen. They didn't budge at all. I looked down at them and saw why. They were encased in cases of white bandages. I think they called in a caste back in my village, but these casts looked different. They looked far more advanced, far more symmetrical, and much thinner.

"What are you doing?" someone asks. "You really shouldn't be out of the bed. After all the injuries you came in with I would have thought you would be more careful."

The woman, who I noticed was rather short for an adult, bent down to pick me up. Or at least she tried to because she gave up after a few attempts. I could imagine why, the casts on my feet must have weighed a ton, and I had a body of powerful coiled muscle, even if I was a boy bordering on the age of thirteen.

"I'll have to call one of the interns," she mutters. She reached down to something that looked like a communication device and said, "Please, bring Resident Chiba here. I can't move the patient on my own." Then she put the device back in her pocket and frowned at my downed form. "I suppose we will have to wait for that boy to arrive."

As we waited I looked around my room and was amazed to see how polished it was. It was so clean, so sterile, and a myriad of devices, including a TV, were stacked on the walls. Growing up in Konoha very few people had access to a Television, since they were expensive, and most people didn't have the luxury of technological goods.

Here every part of the room seemed to have some kind of digital device attached to it, and I couldn't help but wonder if the person who ran this hospital was wealthy. Certainly they had to be if they could afford such incredible technology that only Lords and Ladies tended to own.

"Is something the matter, boy?" the nurse asks me. "You're acting like you've never seen a TV before."

I didn't want to tell her I've only ever seen one once in my life. I don't know why. Maybe it was the way she said it, or the way she looked at me like I was a strange oddity, but I couldn't confide in her. Though it could have just been that I didn't know her well enough, after all, you don't just tell someone you just met that the last thing you remember was a face in a shadow coming up from behind you, and sliding a kunai through your neck.

"I've just never seen a TV that big before," I tell her. This got a raised eyebrow from the young nurse. "Where I come from they are..smaller."

"That…is interesting," she tells me. "Considering how you were brought from the Juuban district I would have thought you would have seen the Megatron displayed in Down Town, Tokyo."

I don' know what a Megatron is, and I certainly have no idea what Tokyo is either.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" the girl asks. Her dark eyes, which matched her dark hair truly looked puzzled. "You act like you don't know what Tokyo is."

"Of..of course I know what Tokyo is," I try to defend. It didn't seem to be working since the woman shook her head. "I just forgot, I am just tired. That's all."

The nurse went silent for a moment then conceded. "Yes, yes I would imagine you would be." Her expression turned cheery. "We aren't that far from down town, perhaps we could arrange a visit there before you need to leave the ward."

I didn't know why she was so excited. Down town Konoha was never anything special, so what made down town Tokyo so special? In either case I had to answer the woman, who seemed to have a split personality from serious nurse to childish teenager, before she got even more suspicious of me. "Um, okay." I tried to move myself up, but failed. I sighed. "We'll go when I can move my legs."

The girl nodded and helped me lean against the bed rails. It must have made a strange sight. My heavy, bandaged form leaning on a bed, while I was on the ground, while her short, light frame waited patiently for the Resident Chiba she had called earlier.

Then I heard footsteps coming from the hall outside of the room. I could hear them because there didn't seem to be anyone inside of the hospital, since it was night, and I could hear the whistling of a boy, who sounded no older than twenty, approach my room. He knocked at the half opened door, and was allowed in by the short nurse.

"I've been waiting almost twenty minutes," the nurse says coldly. "What were you doing?"

The man, no, boy, shrugs his shoulders. "Helping Dr. Mizuno with a heart attack victim. The man just went into cardiac arrest and needed to be sedated. I held him down while Dr. Mizuno made sure he didn't…die."

The nurse seemed to consider this, and she didn't seem happy. "You should have told me. I would have went to help you." She bit her lip. "Chiba-san, is the patient okay?"

Chiba's easy going expression slipped for a fraction, and something much more dark took its place, only for it to be replaced by something much more unreadable. "I don't know." His body tensed and he looked at my direction. "Listen, you didn't call me just to hear about my day did you? If that were the case you would have asked me on a date or something."

The nurse snorts at the taller man, folds her hands over her chest. "In your dreams, Chiba Mamoru."

"More like my nightmares," he replies back, getting a glare from the much shorter nurse. "I'll take care of things on this end. Dr. Mizuno needs you. You should have been done feeding the boy."

For some reason, I don't like the way he referred to me as 'boy', but I couldn't say anything to that. I couldn't say anything stupid, and I couldn't say anything that might give me away. I didn't trust these people, and I doubt they trusted me. Aside from Dr. Mizuno, who I gathered was the woman I barely saw when I woke up, I couldn't be sure if anyone here wouldn't try to kill me.

Kill me like the man from Konoha.

"What's wrong," the teen asks. As the nurse left the room he bent down to my paralyzed form and put his arms underneath my shoulder. "Can't move your legs, I see." He laughs. "Sorry, bad joke."

I didn't respond to his attempt at humor, and just frowned at him for a response. He shook his head, and carried me to the bed, but not before making a snide comment on my weight. According to him I was pretty heavy for a boy barely into my teens. I wanted to tell him that I wasn't even thirteen yet, that I would be thirteen within a month, but I couldn't do that.

They seemed to think I was a teenager based on my appearance so I let them think that. It would probably be better for me in the long run. Less explanations.

"I am guessing Dr. Mizuno didn't tell you that she called child services, " he said, taking a seat next to my bed, pulling the medical blankets over me. "Which isn't that surprising since an emergency occurred."

I didn't need to ask what kind of emergency since he already mentioned it earlier. I may not be as smart as Sakura or Sasuke but I am no idiot. I just act like one. "How bad is it?" I ask.

He looks surprised and a little confused at the question. "How bad is what?"

"The guy with the heart problem," I answer him, as if it were the most obvious question in the world."What did you think I was asking?"

"I thought you were asking about your busted legs," he says, but then looks guilty. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way." My eyes widen in panic and I try and move my feed underneath my cast, trying to get some kind of motion from it. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens. I start to panic and large hands grasp my shoulders, stopping me from breaking the white constructs attached to my legs.

"No, don't do that!" he shouts. His dark blue eyes look at me with disapproval and I hate myself for losing physically to this guy. I may have been shorter than him, but he sure as hell wasn't physically built like me. If I was better I could probably have mopped the floor with his carcass. As I am right now, I can't even put up much of a fight and he manages to subdue me. "Just relax and let me explain." His voice sounds desperate, somewhat pleading. "I am sorry, I shouldn't have said busted. That's not what I meant…damn it, stop moving!"

I slowly stop struggling and he sighs and leans against the chair. "For a guy of your injuries you sure put up a fight." His face looks thoughtful for a moment and then he rubs his temples. "Dr. Mizuno is going to be pissed. She wanted to be the one to tell you this."

"Tell me what?" I ask, sounding worried. "Is it my legs? You said they were busted, didn't you?"

The guy nods. "Sure, busted, but that isn't right. What I meant to say was they are broken. They work fine but they will need to be healed and it's going to be painful." He seems to wince. "There are a lot of screws in your ankles right now, and we, by which I mean Dr. Mizuno and her team, are going to remove them when most of your injuries are ready."

"That..sounds fair." This is strange, I don't understand why that is such a big deal. "So why were you afraid to tell me this?"

"Because…right now you are on pain medication," he says slowly. "Once we stop giving it to you, you are going to feel it." He clenches his fists. "It's going to be very, very painful. Bone re-growth is not a pleasant procedure."

I sigh in relief. I thought it was going to be more serious, I thought it would be something more drastic. Like my legs no longer work, or that I would be paralyzed for life. I've never met anyone like that, but I can imagine that it must be painful to be so powerless in a village where some heroes are worshiped as gods, just because they could do incredible feats like break mountains with their fists, or travel faster than the speed of sound.

"You don't look particularly worried about the pain," he says. He looks at me like I am a puzzle. "It's going to really, really hurt."

"I've been hurt worse," I tell him. This is true, though my healing factor seemed to have taken care of most of those injuries. Injuries from Taijutsu matches with the other kids, and some of the rougher scruffs I got into with the upper classmen when they caught me pulling a prank on them. "I'll be fine."

"…okay." He looks like I just released a heavy burden off his shoulders. "Um, do you mind not telling Dr. Mizuno that I told you. It's kind of important." He looks somewhat nervous. For a tall guy he sure is meek when it comes to talking about his superior. "I am just a volunteer resident, but I don't want to lose this job shadow position."

I don't understand what is so important about that, but I nod my head. "Sure, I won't tell her." Then I think about where I am right now. "If you wouldn't mind giving me some information as to where I am."

And so he started explaining to me about a country called Japan, a city called Tokyo, a district called Juuban, and about the General Secondary Hospital I was in. Our conversation eventually switched to what his name was, which medical school he went to, what his hobbies were, and, occasionally, about his friends.

The first thing I discovered was his name. His name was Chiba Mamoru. He was a first year Medical student at a local university. He lives in a nearby apartment complex by himself. I didn't ask why he lived by himself and not with his parents, and he didn't mention it either. He told me about the sites in the city that would be good for a visit, and told me he had a friend named Motoki that helped run an arcade that was also a tea shop.

I had absolutely no idea what an arcade was, but nodded with false enthusiasm when he described it to me.

Mamoru didn't seem to be the kind of guy who got around much, and from his description of the city it seemed like he stuck to places where people wouldn't normally bother him. He didn't talk about beaches, restaurants, or girls in his life, so I concluded that he was the solitary type. Of course I could have been easily wrong, but by the way the nurse treated him, I doubt it.

Eventually our talk went the other direction and he asked me about myself. This is where things got awkward because I realized that I wasn't in Konoha anymore. Wherever I was probably wasn't even in the Elemental Nations. Since that was the case, I talked very vaguely about my village, trying to make it sound like some of the places he described to me.

From my description he seemed to have come to the conclusion that I was from one of the islands, possibly from Okinawa, but didn't ask me anything deeper. I just pretended like that was where I was from and he asked me how life was like in such a small village on the islands, and I made up some bull story about how great it was.

For some reason he didn't seem to believe this part. And this lead me to believe that Chiba Mamoru was not as naïve as I gave him credit for.

"Ahh, you look like you are all better." A gentle voice wafts into the room and I turn my face to the entrance. "And I was wondering where my shadow was."

Mamoru looks uncomfortable and apologizes to her. He walks out of the room, but not before telling me to give him a call if I need anything. He lived nearby after all. For reasons I can't fathom I actually don't mind the offer, I put the card he gave me into the pocket of the hospital gown I am wearing and turn to face my doctor.

"I am guessing Chiba was so infatuated with telling you about his solitary life than actually feeding you, no?" she asked dryly, looking at the meal beside my bed. "Though I can guess why, you are an interesting specimen…mister…"

"Uzumaki Naruto." There, I said it. My name. Time for the moment of truth, time to see whether or not I am really in the Ninja world. If she gets angry, if she looks uncomfortable, if she suddenly tries to hurt me, I am going to know that I am close to the village.

But all she does is snort. "Interesting name." She takes the seat Chiba Mamoru was in just a minute ago and hands me my plate of food. "Naruto…not a common name. Uzumaki, perhaps, but certainly not Naruto." She observes my face, trying to find something. What? I don't know. "I thought it would be something along the lines of Ben, Thompson, John, something…European."

I had no idea what that meant and why my name should sound different from what it already was. Uzumaki Naruto seemed like a name, just like any other and I've always worn it with pride. "No, that's my name." I wanted to say 'believe it' or 'don't you forget it' but I am not in the mood. I am so tired. "Why should it be different?"

"Simple, really." She folds her hand over her face. It looks somewhat mysterious. "Because you are clearly not Japanese."

I want to tell her she is correct, but know that isn't the answer she wants. Besides, sounding like some kind of illegal alien probably wouldn't do to gain her trust. "Why do you think that?" I ask her. "Is there a reason I shouldn't be Japanese?"

She continues to eye me. I try not to look away from her calculative blue eyes, but fail when I see them narrow ever so slightly. "Your Japanese sounds…strange. I can't place it. Just the way you pronounce each word leads me to believe that you grew up somewhere else. Then there is your face, I have never seen anyone with your skin color and your blond hair." She reaches out and touches it. "It's natural. All natural, which is something you don't see around here."

"Your hair is blue," I point out. "There weren't a lot of people with blue hair where I come from."

She snorts, again. "Yes, I get that a lot." Then looks back at me with the same puzzled, calculative look. "But that isn't even the biggest problem. The biggest one is your height and weight."

"I know, I am kind of short," I tell her. "Er, it's not my fault. I tried to drink lots of milk, but nothing happened."

"That's not it, and drinking excessive amounts of milk is not going to work." She taps her finger on her chin. "How old are you exactly?"

Now we are at a crossroads. People here seem to think I am in my early teens, but that isn't the case. If I tell her that I am only twelve, going into thirteen, more questions would probably be raised and I can imagine that I would seem even more mysterious to this doctor. I can't have that, but if I lie to her, she will know. I am not a bad liar, but I know that doctor's are pretty good at spotting them. It's one of those common sense things everyone knows, especially the kids who tried to get a doctor's note to skip out on exams they weren't ready for.

"I am going to be thirteen," I tell her evasively. "In a month or so."

"Thirteen…interesting..very interesting," she says. She smiles. "You must have been the biggest kid in your neighborhood, yes? Assuming you lived in Japan."

My mouth becomes dry, this is going to be harder than I thought. "Yes…I was big, I guess," I lie to her. Truth was that I was the shortest kid in my class. Even smaller than a girl named Hyuga Hinata. "Is that a problem?"

"Not really," she says cheerfully. I am not good at reading people, I don't have amazing abilities like that but I already know she is faking her attitude. "It's perfectly natural to have blond hair, blue eyes, a California surfer complexion, a wrestler's compact body, and the height of a teenage Japanese boy at the age of twelve."

She continues to smile and her eyes close. I screwed up, I just know it. I made an assumption that the people here would look similar to myself based on the build of Chiba Mamoru, but he must have been a rare occurrence in this place. Dr. Mizuno isn't exactly tall and she is clearly the norm in this place, even the nurse from a few minutes ago was probably more natural in build than Chiba.

"Um, I guess the milk I drank worked," I say, trying to smile, but can't since my face feels sore. "Nothing wrong with that."

"Yes, nothing wrong with that at all." She smiles and then frowns in the next instant. Her face turns deadly serious. "Jokes aside, you aren't from Tokyo. Your Japanese is incredible for a foreigner and you seem to be somewhat comfortable around us Japanese folks, but you are clearly not one of us."

No, I am not. "Okay. You got me. Maybe I am not Japanese. So what? What happens now." I cut to the chase. I can act like a brash idiot, I can shout at her, I could probably even tell her that my name is Uzumaki Naruto and I am the the Future Hokage, but I don't do that. There is a time and place for everything and right now just trying to get a grip on my new situation takes priority. "Are you going to arrest me or something?"

She sighs. "No, you say that you are twelve years old. Our laws aren't as backwards as you Europeans, or Americans, lead yourselves to believe. Our standard protocol is to first find out where you come from, and try and direct you to the embassy of your nation."

"Okay." I don't know what an embassy is but I like the part of bringing me back home. "So what now?"

"Now I ask what nation you come from."

I gulp. This is not the question I want to answer. Whatever I tell her is going to sound stupid. Based on my talks with Chiba this city seems to be at peace, and they don't seem to use things like Chakra power. They are much more focused on using wireless machines that use some kind of unknown power that could potentially be electricity, or gas. Yes, I am not in my world anymore.

So what could I tell her? What could I say to get me out of this situation? There is really only one solution and I have to make this sound convincing. I have to put everything I have into this and I have to make sure not to make a single mistake.

"I…I don't know where I come from," I try not to let my voice break. "I don't remember…anything."

.

.

They take me to a place called Juuban General Orphanage. From the title of the building I can guess this isn't the place where happy children go to reunite with their parents, not that I still have delusions like that. I gave up on dreams like that a long time ago. I think most of us poor lost boys and girls did. It wasn't like we had a choice. Whether we were abandoned, given away, or stolen from our homes (Ninja village remember?), we all had the same attitude about our future adoption prospects.

As I walk down the halls of the facility I cannot help but wonder which one is my room. This place doesn't seem so bad, and if the rooms are as large as the ones I saw earlier, I might actually like this place more than my old apartment. I wonder if they might consider giving me a roommate, but then decide against it. I have too many secrets and one wrong move might cost me my life.

"Here you are, Uzumaki-san," Mamoru-san tells me. He opens the door to a small one bedroom complex with a desk and bed. "It's got a great view of the Juuban Middle school nearby." I walk into the room and the tall man follows. "See that place, that's where they are probably going to register you."

I nod my head at his finger and ask him a question. "You seem to know your way around this place…any particular reason?" I can already guess the answer, but I want him to tell me. I don't trust this man, I don't think I'll ever trust an adult in my life again, but I want to know more about him. He…is not a bad person. A bit cold, a bit callous, somewhat odd, but he is the only person who gives me a straight answer. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me."

"No…it's fine." He pulls out a chair, there is only one in the room and sits on it. "Hmm, still has the same problem." He mutters something under his breath and proceeds to move the chair in an angle such that it stands up straight. "No, don't think it's ever going to go away."

"Er, right." I take a seat on my bed and jump when I feel a spring trying to impale my right butt cheek. I look back and see that it's literally coming out of the mattress and look at Mamoru. "Not exactly what I was expecting, but it's better than some beds I've slept on." Or floors I've slept on for that matter.

The teen shakes his head. "I know, orphanages don't exactly spend a lot of money on our mattresses, if we get those to start with, but occasionally we get saddled with the worst of the lot." He gives up trying to make the chair he is sitting on balance and stands up. "May be I will come over later with my tool kit. I used to keep one around here when I…"

He just gave himself away. I can see his face, it looks uncomfortable. "When you lived here, right?" I don't need him to say yes, and he doesn't confirm or deny my statement. "It's okay…I kind of know how it is."

I know what it's like not having parents. I know the shame that comes with thinking that your parents abandoned you. I know the jealousy people like us feel when we see a happy family. I know the awkwardness that comes with walking with your peers and suddenly they start complaining about their fathers or mothers.

Most of us orphans try and stand well clear of subjects that have to deal with our parents, not because we want to, but because we don't know how to tell people politely to shut up before we stick a fist to their jaw.

"Yes, I suppose you would know what it must be like," he says slowly, his eyes stare off at the room. For a moment he looks at the place with nostalgia. It's as if I am not even there, like I am just part of a fixture in the room, and I grow uncomfortable the longer he does this. "Um, right, thanks for bringing me here."

He doesn't answer me with words, but nods, while staring out the window. I don't need to ask what he is looking at. It must have hurt, it must have hurt a lot. To always get such a clear view of the kids with parents, the kids who came out of Juuban Middle school with their families picking them up, while he stood in his dark room with a busted chair, and a bed that could stab a piece of metal to his back if he wasn't careful.

"Chiba-san, maybe you should go," I tell him. Being here is probably bringing up bad memories for him. My time at the orphanage wasn't exactly pleasant either, but I've learned to put those demons behind me or , at least, I would like to think I have. "How about I come to your apartment and get the tool box? I am actually pretty good at home repairs." Which is true. It wasn't like anyone else was going to fix the furniture in my one bedroom apartment.

"Are you sure?" he asks me. He looks slightly uncomfortable. "I can come back, it's not really a problem."

"No, I don't want to trouble you," I tell him. He has already done enough for me. Dr. Mizuno gave me the address to walk here, but it was this man who took time out of his busy schedule to bring me here. "it's getting late." I look at the sun. They say Japan is the country of the rising sun, or at least from the brochure I got from the US embassy. "You probably have school, I guess."

"Bright and early," he mutters. "I've a test on Enzymes, then a lab on Titration, followed by a unit on viruses."

I don't understand a word of what he is saying, but I nod anyway.

"Do you have my card?" he asks me. I pull out the card of Chiba Mamoru, Faculty of Medicine at Juuban University, and show it to him. "That's the contact information for my Lab, my Supervisor is Dr. Saicho." I don't really know why I need to know that, but I nod anyway.

He gives me a manly hand shake and walks out of the door, but not before looking around the room one last time. I guess there are just some things that are hard to put behind you. Growing up in an orphanage is one of them, and I am about to add another demon I am going to have to leave behind.

Being a Ninja for one.

It makes me sad, it makes me insecure, but I know that if I want to live in Japan, assuming that the US embassy does not take me to the States of America (whatever that is), I have to change how I do things. I can't act the way I acted back in Konoha and if I am to survive I need to be focused.

With these thoughts in my mind I lay down on the bed and look at my feet.

I can walk now, but it'll take another month before they release me from the last of my casts, and add the next set of them. By then I will be thirteen and the laws affecting a thirteen year old will probably be different from one affecting a child of twelve. Not sure why, but that's how it goes for a lot of places, my old home included.

Funny, really. Even when I turn thirteen I have a feeling that nothing is going to change. I am probably not going to feel older, wiser, stronger, or more secure. I'll probably be the same snot nosed kid who couldn't do a decent Bunshin to save his life (literally) and I don't think I am going to feel any more comfortable with the people around me.

But who knows? Things might be different. There is always a chance. Always.

.

.

Months passed, people came, and people went. Most of them told me that they couldn't find ID records of me anywhere, and some even talked of deportation. It turns out that Japan is a country with a high population and many illegal immigrants from neighboring third world nations have tried to sneak into their territory many times before.

The problem is that most of them don't speak Japanese like me. Worse yet, they don't read Japanese like I can. That is usually what gives them away. Kanji is not something you can just pick up, you have to be immersed in it and I can read like the best of them. In fact, it turned out that I could read characters that weren't even used anymore, as if I was taught in a very high order prep school, like I was the scion of some noble.

I neither confirmed or denied this of course, I wanted to give them the illusion that I was potentially Japanese even if I did not look Japanese. My height, weight, and appearance were not going to deter me from living here, and if I was careful, just a bit careful, I could pull this off.

And I did.

When the immigration judge saw the evidence in my favor that I was possibly a Japanese raised foreigner, he decided to go with my case. There just wasn't enough evidence to show that I was an illegal immigrant and unless I dropped into the country from a plane, then there certainly wasn't any long distance illegal trafficking going on that day.

So with my new identity as Uzumaki Naruto, thirteen year old Japanese citizen, resident of Juuban, and all round foreign looking guy, I started my life in this new city.

.

.

.

"Are you sure you are going to be okay?" Mamoru asks me. He opens the trunk to his sports car, and pulls out a set of crutches. For a guy who spends a lot of time by himself, he seems to have a lot of snazzy equipment. "You want me to go with you to the office?" He hands me my crutches and waits for me to use them to prop myself up.

It's somewhat annoying to have him badgering me like this, but I can understand his concern. Though I am not sure how I feel about it. For a volunteer doctor's assistant he seems to take his position seriously. He doesn't get any community hours helping me off his clock, so it's not like there is any benefit of helping me, even if I was a patient of him and Dr. Mizuno.

"I'll be fine," I tell him. "I am used to it. You know how it is. Once you tell them you don't have parents things move a lot faster." They always do. When you don't have parents offices don't' ask you for a guardian to sign you out. Though I had a legal guardian, I never met him, so I tended to sign myself out, even if I spent most of the time sneaking out. "Thanks for everything." I am not sure how to say this last part. "Without you, things would have been a lot more…difficult."

He waves his hand away. I think he is embarrassed as well. "It's not a problem. Guys like us have to stick together." I notice he doesn't say 'orphans' like us. Someday I am going to ask him why, but not today. But I have a feeling that day will come soon. "See you around, Naruto."

He gives me another manly handshake and gets into his sports car. As I turn around I notice that a group of giggling girls are pointing at him. They don't even try to cover up their frothing giggles and sigh when he drives off into the horizon.

I am dead serious. It literally looked like he is driving into the horizon.

As I turn around to the direction of the school, and try not to trip on my crutches, I notice that I've got an audience myself. Mainly the student body. It probably isn't everyday a new transfer student who looks like they came from a European country, that they were once allied with, comes into your school looking like he had been through a horrible accident.

Fortunately, the Japanese are a polite people, if a bit distrustful of outsiders. If I look at the direction of someone pointing at me, they immediately look away and even when they are in a crowd, there is something very meek and shy about most of them. Though that could just be attributed by the intimidating presence my figure gives off.

Even walking on crutches, with a cast on both legs, I am almost a head taller than the average guy in the school. Which means I am even taller than the girls. It's a strange feeling, really. I've always wanted to be tall, the big man on campus, but I never got the chance. Uchiha Sasuke filled that role, along with other bullies who tried to steal my lunch money on a daily basis.

I look around to see if I am going to have the same problems as I did back then, and realize that yes, I am going to have the same problems, only this time I would have the advantage in sheer physical strength. I can say this because I spot my would-be bullies and notice that they are whispering harshly to each other, as if to decide how they are going to approach me.

Hopefully they will do it when I am not so injured.

"Oi, Gajin!" someone shouts from behind me. I try not to sigh. I am just about to open the door and go into the school. Why now? Why did they take this time to make me angry like this? Did they want to die? Did they want me to attack?

When a hand reaches my collar and tries to pull me down to its level, I get my answer. "I am talking to you." I turn around to see your stereotypical Junior Yakuza. He is taller than your average Japanese boy, but not by much, with a tough build, like he does heavy weight training or something. A small group of boys are coming toward us, most with the same expression he has on his face. "What are you doing here? Don't you know this is a Middle School? The airport is that way!" He points to a location which I am pretty sure is the Juuban Dump, but now Is not the time to get directional.

"Yes, I am pretty sure this is a school," I tell him in perfect Japanese. I can't afford to be anything but perfect. One wrong pronunciation, one wrong step, and my claim that I am probably Japanese born and raised will fly out the window. "And why are you pointing to Juuban Dump?"

He looks startled for a second then releases his grip slightly. I take this moment to shrug it off completely and stand as tall as I can. In Konoha this would not be threatening, but to a bunch of Japanese school kids who are theoretically my own age, this must look intimidating.

"I think he might be telling the truth, Taro," one of his friends says. "He has a Juuban uniform on." He points to my uniform, which almost makes me laugh, since he has to raise his finger up to do so. "Plus he doesn't have an accent."

Taro seems to consider this, but he doesn't like it. His expression turns neutral and he looks at the muttering children around him. Interesting that no one seems to approve of this action, but no one seems to try and stop him. I guess it makes sense. When he called me a Gaijin, he wasn't lying.

You see Gaijin is an offensive word that can literally mean alien. When a person is an alien, it means that they are different from you. When they are different from you, it means that they can't understand you and you don't understand them. You separate them from yourself and you can attach a lot of negativity to that person.

That's probably what is happening right now.

I am so different it's scary.

"Taro, let go," his friend says, grabbing his hands away. Slowly Taro does so, and walks into the crowd, but not before giving me a glare. I don't bother returning it. I've had old ladies give me worse. No, seriously I have. I've had an entire village give me that look, and worse. Taro didn't like me. Probably because I am different, but my village didn't just like me…they detested me.

Almost like they wanted me dead.

"Um, do you mind moving?" someone asks. I turn around to see a red headed girl shyly finger my shoulder to get my attention. "You are blocking the way." I notice that there are a lot of middle school kids who are waiting for me to enter. Afraid to go in front of me. Do I really look that threatening? And why do they fear people who look like me so much? No, wait, not fear? Distrust? "Did you hear what I said?"

I snap out of my thoughts and bow my head to her. "Sorry." I try and open the door, but her small hands clasp the handle and opens it for me. I turn to her. "Thank you." She doesn't say welcome, but that's okay with me. She looks to be older than thirteen, probably fourteen, and at least a year ahead of me.

"Can you tell me where the office is?" I ask her, before she could get away from my sight. "I don't have a map."

She looks apprehensive and I wonder for a second if she is a racist as well. Then she points to a nearby room. "Down the hall, and to your right."

Before I can thank her she moves away, and into the crowds of people who give me a wide berth. It's not that they think I am going to suddenly attack them, it's probably to do with the bullies I met earlier.

They made it clear that anyone who associated with me would not be tolerated. This isn't just the attitude of the Japanese, this seems to be the general attitude of any 'alien' in any given country. I hear things are worse in some of the Eastern European countries like Russia, but I don't have time to worry about people on the other side of the globe.

I walk into the Office and ask them for my student card. They ask me if I have my school supplies and if I am ready to get to class. I tell them I am. They tell me that my placement results came in a few days ago and that I was going to be joining children at least my senior in the upper grades. When I asked them why that was she looked at me with amusement and said that I scored extremely well on the grade placement test, with a near perfect score in Math.

That shocked me. I was certain that I would have scored low on the placement tests since I had gotten so many questions incorrect in many sections. Then I remembered that a fifty percent here in Japan was a pass, and an A is something like an 80% and up. Back in Konoha we had a much stricter marking system.

We also had a much more difficult school system. By the age of twelve we covered Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Kanji, and a whole list of obscure courses that most of us would probably never use. My best subject had always been Physics. There is something interesting about wind speeds, acceleration, and velocity that always fascinated me. I tend to pick up on things like that more quickly than most other subjects.

"So can you tell me where I am supposed to go?" I ask the receptionist. She smiles, stands up, and tells me to follow. "Miss, can you slow down? I can't exactly walk fast right now…"

She doesn't apologize and I get the distinct impression that she doesn't like me, even if she is cheerfully polite. That's okay. As long as she doesn't sabotage my entrance I am okay with her bitter-sweet attitude. "Here you are, if you need anything just ask your teacher." She walks away, and I am left feeling very self conscious.

How will the class react seeing the Gaijin enter their classroom? Probably the same way the kids in Konoha did when they realized I was repeating the year and was saddled with them, again. Steeling my resolve I take a deep breath and open the door, with a bit too much power, and walk into the room.

I try not to act too sheepish at my oversight in strength and step towards the terrified group of students who look like they are about to have a heart attack. "I am sorry about that," I mutter. "I don't know my own strength." I really don't. Everything just seems so light, and I mean everything. Even the clothes on my body weigh nothing at all, as if they were made of silk.

"That's okay," a tall woman with red hair says. Since she's an adult, she doesn't have to look up to meet me at eye level. She points to the front of the class and I walk towards the place she is pointing to. Someone mutters 'Gaijin' and I try not to frown. It doesn't actually bother me that much, since I really am an 'alien' in the supernatural sense, so I can forgive them. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. "Class, please stop what you are doing. We have a new transfer student."

The class, and this time all of them, look at me. The boys look surely, while the girls look distrustful. Actually, both look distrustful. Only the boys seem to be better at hiding it, seems like the tough guy image is one of those constants wherever you go. "Hello," I say. "I guess I'll start with my name."

The class looks interested. I am guessing they are expecting me to say something like "Homer Simpson" from that TV show I saw last week, or "John Wayne" but I am going to disappoint them. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto." There are confused looks from most of them and a few even chortle. "I am thirteen years old."

Now there are hushed murmurs, as if I had said something wrong. Back in Konoha it wasn't unusual for children to skip grades, but it must have been an oddity here. "Did I say something wrong?" I whisper to my teacher.

She shakes her head, but looks slightly surprised. "No, but it's not common to skip a grade. You must have come from a very good school."

I want to tell her that I did, but that would raise up some very interesting questions that I am sure as hell not answering. "Maybe," I whisper back to her. Some of my classmates are leaning towards me to get a better hearing. "I can't say I remember."

She looks at me surprised but doesn't question further. I turn back to the class. "I live near the school and I live by myself." More whispers break out. I think I made a mistake saying I lived by myself. "I moved here about seven months ago." I have grown a bit in height since then, but not by much. "Please take care of me. I want to make friends with each and every one of you."

Damn it! I can't believe I said that. That must have came out so desperate. I look up from my bowed position and try to assess the extent of my damage and notice that it isn't as bad as I thought. I turn to my right and hear clapping and notice that it is the same red-headed girl I met earlier today. Her short shoulder length wavy hair, blue eyes, and green ribbon are enough to give her away.

Slowly a boy with swirly glasses starts clapping next to her, and they are soon joined by an overweight girl with chubby cheeks. Another thirty seconds pass and pretty soon the rest of the class claps as well, as if I was some kind of one man show and starts saying things like 'welcome', 'is that your natural hair color,' and 'wow, you look like you got beat up by the Yakuza.'

Miss Haruna, my teacher, points to an empty seat next to a girl with blond hair fashioned in twin pig tails and I take a seat beside her. The class soon starts, with some of my classmates looking at me with a bit more interest than they originally did, only this time they are slightly less distrustful.

I pull out the books I have in my back pack and try to follow along. Most of the math we are covering seem to follow along the lines of basic algebra, things I have already covered. I guess the placement wasn't wrong. I really do belong here. Even if I am not fourteen yet. Though I will be, given another couple of months, so it's not like I have a huge gap when it comes to grade skipping.

"Mm, ice cream…cake…ice cream…" the girl beside me mutters. I try and ignore her, focusing on my work instead. "Ice cream…ICE CREAM…Nooo!" The girl suddenly wakes up from her dream, and stands up. Her classmates roll their eyes at her and some even laugh.

"Damn it, Usagi!" the red-head from earlier says, throwing a ball of paper at her. "Can't you go through one class without bothering the rest of us?"

"But…someone stole my ice cream," she cries. "Naru, it was so scary."

Something smashes in front of the chalkboard and I can see Miss Haruna glaring at the girl. She has fire in her eyes and lightning sparks are flying out of her hair. "Usagi, get to the hall now." She doesn't shout, but by the way the blond haired girl gets up and runs, it almost seems like she does.

The problem is she trips on my crutches as she tries to run, and topples over a desk. Feeling like such a bastard for putting it there, I get up and almost fall down from the unbalance the cast puts on my feet. Somehow I manage to redirect the chakra in my body to balance myself. I am still not good at channeling it through my body, but I know how to do it.

As I stand in front of the girl looking like some juggernaut, I notice that she looks absolutely terrified.

Pointing a shaking finger she barely manages to say. "W-who the hell are you?"

.

.

* * *

Please Review: I'll get back to you guys when I have the time. I took a lot of your input and changed my style. As always not beta, no editors, no nothing. I really need to sleep. After reading a dozen Ranma/Sailor Moon fics (Vahn, Clays, etc) I had to write my own version of real world one. But I upped the darkness. Will I write a sequel to Shinobi father? Yes, maybe after a very, very long time. You'll actually like this one much better if you've watched the SM series. As always I am amazed at the audience!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Sailor Moon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Part Time Job

* * *

My hand is outstretched so that I may help her stand on her own two feet, but it's getting more difficult to keep up this act, especially while the class is looking at us like I am about to attack her. Once again no one does anything to interfere, but they aren't approving of this either.

"Usagi…did you sleep through your classmate's introduction as well?" a voice from the front of the room says. I thought more lightning wouldn't have been possible, but surprise, there it is.

The tall redheaded she-demon stomps over to the downed form of Usagi, and folds her hands over her chest. Towering over the poor girl like some kind of obelisk. "You've slept through math, English, Japanese History, chemistry, biology, physics, and ,this part kills me, gym!" The woman reaches down and picks the girl up by the shoulder.

For a thin lady, she has some muscles on her. "Just go, please. Before I really lose my patience," she says, her body quivering with furious anger. She let's go of the shaking girl, who looks at me with comedic tears in her eyes, and runs out to the hall crying.

The woman shakes her head, turns to my direction and gives me an apologetic look. "I am sorry, out of all the seats I could have assigned, I had to give you this one."

I shrug. "Doesn't bother me." I bend down to pick up the crutches the girl tripped over earlier, and the other redhead, Naru, comes toward us and helps us put the crutches to the side. This way no one else will trip over them, though how Usagi tripped over them makes me question her brain activity. The crutches were almost as long as her body.

Soon the lesson is done and Miss Haruna decides to spring a surprise test on us. This gets a groan from the class and a small sigh from me. I've barely been here for a couple of hours and I am about to face my first major test. It's not that I am angry about it, it's just that it would be nice to have a bit more spare time. I need to get a score on this test after all, otherwise they might demote me to children my own age.

Teens like Taro and his crew. I am not afraid of those brats, but I don't want to hurt them. Too many questions would be raised if a boy who has two broken legs manages to beat up an entire gang of hoodlums. My cover barely holds water, and anything that gives away my supreme fighting ability would be like tossing grease onto a fire.

Only this fire will swallow me whole. Along with my identity.

"You have half an hour to complete the test, then we will switch with the person three seats to your right, and grade them accordingly." Not a bad way to mark a test, saves a lot of time."You may begin."

I take my time completing this, I want to get every question right. Back in Konoha I usually arrived late to class so I got punished and had to write the test late. This didn't leave me enough time to double check my answers, and those marks cost me plenty. I am not going to let that happen again.

"Time's up, switch and we'll start grading." This only takes five minutes, and we get our tests back right away. I take a look at my score and wonder if it's a good score or not. I raise my hand and Miss Haruna comes towards the desk I am sitting on. "What's wrong? You got all the questions right..oh I see. You didn't put them into sig figs. Sorry, I can't give you the marks for those. Still, 90% isn't bad. Great job."

I guess it's a good mark. Before I have a chance to put my test back into my bag, a hand reaches down to my sheet and slips it off my fingers. I don't make a serious attempt to hold onto it, since that would have torn my sheet.

"Mind if I have a look," the person who snatched my sheet away says. I want to tell him to give it back before I smash my fist into his spiral glasses, but decide to be polite. This boy did clap at my intro. "Just want to see how you rank in the class that's all. I'm always looking for a new rival."

Oh, so that's it. He's one of those types. Nothing wrong with that. "Sure, go right ahead." I wait for him to scan it over, and smile at his astonished face. "Find something interesting?"

He looks up from my page and asks, "You…got every question correct." He looks somewhat intimidated. "The only thing stopping you from getting a 100 was your sig figs. How could you make such a bozo error?"

We weren't taught that back in school. I don't even know what sig figs are. "I ran out of time," I answer him, trying to cover for my mistake. "The test was pretty hard."

He looks at the sheet, looks back at me, and doesn't buy it. "Sure, whatever you say," he says, frowning. "It looks like we tied. Though I got the last question wrong. The one with what angle you would have to throw a baseball at what velocity to hit the target. Don't you hate questions like that? How are they even applicable in real life?"

They are applicable. Just replace target with person, and baseball with Kunai. "Yeah, I hate those types of questions. Sometimes they teach us the stupidest things in school." He nods his head in agreement, turns around, and walks back to his desk. The redheaded girl, Naru, asks him something. He looks at me and answers quickly.

Looks like the two of them are trying to get the jump on my personality, my intelligence, and what I am capable of. Not bad, I would be worried if they weren't simply civilians who barely have the capability to hold a pencil, let alone a blade.

"Not fair!" someone shouts. I turn to my right to see the pig-tailed girl who tripped over my crutches. She is crushing her test and glaring at the ball. I want to ask her what she got, just because I am pretty sure I would laugh at it, but decide not to. Sasuke used to do that to me, and I wanted to murder that bastard every time he rubbed it in.

No matter how hard I tried I could never beat him. It didn't matter how many hours I spent on my training, homework, tests, or tutorials. He was just out of my reach, he had all the advantages, and the instructors, minus Iruka, love him.

I don't even want to remember what they thought of me.

Still, I guess I could show some compassion. "I am sure your mark isn't that bad," I say, hesitantly. This gets a startled reaction from the girl, and she turns her perky face to where I am sitting. "It's not like you could have gotten less than a forty, half the marks were given just for writing the variables." For some reason tests in Japan give you marks not just for giving the right answer, but showing the steps. I wish they did that back home. "So cheer up."

If I thought that would lighten the girl's mood, I was dead wrong.

She cries even harder and many of my classmates look annoyed, they mutter something about stupid foreigner, and I get the distinct impression that I've lost some of the respect I built up from my introduction.

"Thirty…thirty percent!" she cries. She makes me look at the crumpled sheet of paper, and I cringe at the horror of it all. I don't understand how someone could do so bad on basic algebra. There was only one application question, which was similar to the graduation exam back in my last school, but other than that she should have been able to get through the problems without a lot of difficulty. "How am I going to show this to my parents!"

I try not to sweat drop. She's asking me, an orphan, about how to tell her parents she got a bad grade. She may not know me, yet, but I did say in my intro that I lived by myself. That should have given her some clue that the topic of parents should be stayed away from when talking to me.

"I am sure they won't care, that much," I tell her. I give her back her test. "You can do better next time."

"But my mom said she would kick me out of the house if I got anything less than a C!" she yells. "I won't be able to buy my favorite food for a month. She won't give me any arcade money anymore either."

I nod, pretending that I understand her. "Well, tell her it was a hard test." That could work, but she would have to have some kind of evidence. "Just get one of your friends who scored low to come with you and show your parents their mark."

Her eyes look at me In shock. "That…that's brilliant!" she grabs both of my hands and brings it up to her face. Her eyes have stars in them. It's sort of creepy. "You really are a genius!"

Not really. Just smarter than you. "Well, I don't like to brag but I have been called many things.." Most of them with the word 'dead last' attached to it.

"Aw! I am so jealous, you sound like you don't have any trouble in school." I try not to let my fake smile slip, I hated school. I despised school, I almost failed school, I failed the exam three times, I hated the teachers, I hated the kids there, and wished the place would have burned to the ground. "Nope, I liked school, my old school was great."

She returns my smile, then looks at my crutches and blushes. "Sorry about earlier. I kind of fell asleep half way through your introduction." She scratches the back of her head sheepishly. I try not to laugh at how hilarious her face looks. She's a strange girl, this Usagi. "I was up all night, um, er, studying-,"

"Video games," someone finishes for her. The redhead from earlier stands behind her friend, hands folded over her chest, with a glare fixed on the blond's back. "Honestly, how Tsukino-oba puts up with you, I'll never know." She turns to me, and smiles. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. We met earlier, didn't we?"

I nod my head and lean against my chair. "I think so, you're the one who told me how to get to the office, right?" She nods, and I continue. "You also opened the door for me earlier." She looks somewhat uncomfortable, and before she can respond I answer for her. "It's okay. Those guys weren't that bad. I sort of get that a lot."

When I mean a lot, I mean always. Everywhere I go there is someone who wants me dead.

"That wasn't right," she mumbles. "You shouldn't have had to deal with that. Someone should have stopped them. You were just coming into the school and they surrounded you like that." She looks somewhat shaken. "Sorry for how I treated you earlier, but I didn't want those guys to see me." She looks around her classroom, fortunately everyone is too busy fighting with Miss Haruna about their grades. "Taro and his gang aren't bad, but they are connected to the.."

"Yakuza," I finish for her. I clench my fist at the thought that I might have to deal with someone more formidable than expected.

This is another thing I hate about Japan. It's the country of open organized crime. Very few places in the world have Open Mafias. For Kami's sake, this bastards run their own brothels, strip clubs, casinos, illegal drug stores, and banks.

And the police don't do shit about it.

"Hey what's wrong?" Usagi says, looking between the two of us. "Did I miss something?" She puts a finger to her chin and tries to think. "Oh, I know! You didn't bring lunch did you?"

Naru sighs and puts her hands in the air. "You're going to see this a lot if you stay near her for too long." Grabbing the blond haired, blue eyed girl by the arm, the redhead drags her away.

As they leave the room the boy with glasses, from earlier, taps me on my shoulder and points to where the girls' are probably heading. "You want to have some lunch?" I want to tell him no, but the growl in my stomach gives me away. "I'll take that as a yes."

I stand up, and he goes to the wall to get my crutches. I thank him and he starts talking about the school. After a bit of a hassle we manage to get some food from the cafeteria and join Naru and Usagi outside.

.

.

It's while I am outside that things start to look grim. This school consists of teens age thirteen to fifteen if my calculations are correct. Most of the kids in the upper years are about my size, but the kids in the lower years have barely begun to blossom. Usagi and Naru are year my senior so they've already started growing, and although I don't think they'll grow much taller, based on what I've seen so far, they are actually a decent height.

The guy with the glasses on the other hand looks pitiful in comparison, how me managed to make friends with girls this far out of his social standing, I have no idea. My twelve years in Konoha haven't taught me much about the female gender, but I did learn that girl's liked hanging around strong men, even if they were incredible bastards. It didn't particularly matter if they treated them like crap, like my onetime classmate, Hyuga Neji, or my most hated one, Uchiha Sasuke.

The fact that Naru and Usugi over looked this person's physical weakness and accepted him for what he is, an annoying, pesky, scrawny, caring person, shows me that they are different from my classmates Sakura and Ino. I don't think I've ever seen the two of them say a single nice word about any of the less fortunate boys in my class.

Sakura constantly talked about how horrible I was because I had no parents, while Ino made fun of Chouji, which was kind of sad considering how he sort of had a crush on her. Come to think of it I had a crush on Sakura too, even if she treated me like garbage. If you're wondering why I am starting to realize this now, it probably has something to do with dying.

Death. It gives you a new perspective on life.

"Why are you getting up?" Usagi asks me, as I stand and take my lunch with me. She looks up, concerned. "Is it those people?" She points to Taro and his group. They look like they are going to start something. "We..we'll stand up to them!"

She looks terrified, but she wants to help me. I turn my head to the shaking Naru and the glowering glasses-wearing guy.

I should really ask his name.

"No, it has nothing to do with that." It has everything to do with it. "I just lost my appetite." It's hard to eat when half the field is talking about you, and not in a positive way. Rumors have already started circulating about how I hurt Usagi, and by this time tomorrow they are probably going to get worse.

I take the longway around the field to my class to avoid any large groups of boys. I discovered that Japanese boys are extremely brave when they are in groups. I don't know why that is. Maybe it's because of their society, which promotes group work, or maybe it's because they all have something to prove, but in either case being near any large groups of testosterone charged assholes is asking for trouble.

As my crutches make its way into the school front I hear footsteps behind me. I wonder for a second if it's Taro, and turn to meet the person with a frown. My frown turns into a scowl. "Why are you following me?"

The person looks surprised. "Why shouldn't I?" She tilts her head. "Unless you don't want me to follow you."

"You don't have a reason to," I point out. She opens the door for me, and I try and walk away from her. I hate my limp, I hate it so much, it makes it easy for the smaller girl to catch up. "Besides, I am used to being alone."

"No one likes to be alone," she says, huffing as I increase my pace. "Besides, I have to ask you something."

I stop and turn around. My scowl, if possible, is getting longer. "This isn't about your test score is it?"

She looks down. "Um, maybe." I click my teeth. "Okay, okay! So it's my test."

I sigh, and rub the back of my head. "What do you want me to do?" She looks up and I can see a smile form on her pixie like face. "Wait, don't tell me you're going to use my idea from before.."

She grabs one of my larger hands on both hers. It feels so light. "Please, you are the only one! My mom just needs to call Naru's mom and that's it!" Her large blue eyes fill with small tears. "I won't ever be able to go to the Arcade again, don't you think that's so evil?"

Not really, no. "Yes, absolutely." I take my hand back, a little disturbed at how informal the girl is with strangers. I start to think of a plan t get out of this mess, and come up with blanks. It looks like I've dug my own hole this time. "Alright, what time?"

Her smile lights up the sun and she jumps into the air with a 'yatta' not unlike a loud mouthed girl I used to know. "Really? You mean it? You're dead serious?" Looks like she isn't as trustful as she first appeared. Interesting. "Please tell me you aren't joking."

I look at the small crowd of kids approaching and decide to make this quick. Turning to her, I say. "No, I don't make promises that I can't keep." I'd die before I break a single one of them. "You have yourself a deal.'

"Great!" she says, then looks puzzled. "Deal? Then what do you get out of it?"

Don't know yet. I'll think of something later. "I get to spend time with a..friend?" Yeah right, like you would consider someone you just met a friend. You probably think I am some kind of weirdo, don't you?

In response, she hugs me. "You are the best!" I am so shocked at her unusual display of affection that I don't even defend myself. "You're the nicest guy ever!" She lets go, and runs the other direction. "Wait till I tell Naru! She said you wouldn't agree! Lousy best friend, thinks she knows everything!"

Before I can tell her to slow down, she might crash into someone (which she does a minute later) she is already leaving my sight.

"Told you she would be trouble," a voice says from behind me, as Miss Haruna walks past. "Hurry up, Uzumaki, class resumes in five minutes."

.

.

I called Chiba on a payphone, telling him that I was going to hang out with some friends. He asked me if they were girls and I told him at least two of them were. For some reason he warned me to be careful, and I told him I would. Though I was skeptical why he would do that in the first place. I mean, what kind of harm could girls do?

The answer might surprise you.

"If you ladies don't mind, I think I am going to step out for a bit. If I have to sit through one more shop while you two try on clothes…let's just say something bad will happen." The two ignore me completely as I limp out of the store with my crutches. I try not to let it bother me. I mean, I only have one more day on these. One more day and I can safely remove them.

Me and my trusty crutches finally make it to a nearby park, next to the plaza where Naru and Usagi are shopping, and I sit on a bench. Fortunately it's not too crowded so not many people give me strange looks. There is the occasional old Japanese woman, who may or may not want to tell me off, but almost all of them give me a wide birth.

And I thought I was a pariah in Konoha.

Pretty soon the sun starts to go down, and I wonder if Usagi really wants me to talk to her parents, or if this was some ploy to go shopping with them, so that I might judge if 'this dress made (insert girl) look fat.'

I wanted to say yes every time.

"You're doing it wrong!" a child's voice says. "You're not suppose to pull the tail like that."

"Pull? If you want to make it into a hamster, why not just cut the tail off?" another voice says. "We've been trying to pull its tail off all day and it's not working."

All day. Pull tail? I don't like the sound of this. Sighing, I limp towards the noise.

"Fine, so we couldn't pull it off completely, big deal!" the first voice says. "Get the knife, we'll finish it now."

"Nice!" the second voice answers.

As I get closer to the noise I can't help but hear the mewls of agony from some kind of small animal. Whatever it is, it must be in that small ring of ten year old boys. I can see the shape of a black figure in the centre and, to my disgust, a bit of blood.

"Hey, what are you kids doing!" I shout, limping faster to get to the animal. "Hey, I am talking to you!"

All four kids look at me, look at my crutches, then look at my height, and gulp. In one swift motion they fall over themselves trying to escape and one of them smashes into a tree, while another falls into a small koi pond nearby. I don't bother helping either one of them. Not when I see what's in front of me.

"My god," I say, my voice breaking. "What have they done to you?"

I bend down to pick my the small black animal, which mildly resembles a cat. It mews in my hand and nips at my finger. It must still think it's being attacked by those groups of boys. I look at the fleeing kids with a bit of anger, but know I can't harm them. They are just kids after all, cruel kids, but kids nonetheless.

The cat starts biting into my finger, and I don't make a move. I just let it. I have to earn its trust. If I move my hands away too quickly it will be afraid and think its still in the care of those little monsters. I just hope it realizes that it's not in any danger soon. My healing factor from my old world is still in affect here, but it's not as powerful as it once was.

If I get a slash on any part of my hand, it's not going to magically go away within the next few hours. Maybe in a day, certainly in a week, but not instantly.

"It's okay," I tell the kitten. I walk towards the bench I was sitting on. I take a seat, and try not to flinch as its sharp teeth dig deeper. Those kids must have truly tortured it for it to go this far. I don't know much about cats, other than the fact that the Daimyos' wife had a cat named Tora that I once saw a bunch of Ninjas chase, but I know this isn't normal behavior. "I am not going to hurt you." For some reason the bite lessens. This is puzzling. "Really, those kids are gone. You're okay."

Then it stops. It stops biting me and looks up. Large feline eyes look at me with..hope. No, that's impossible. An expression like that is far too human. I must be imagining things. Cats don't understand human speech and cat's can't act according to specific words that carry emotions. I may not be the sharpest kunai in the pouch, but even I knew that.

If cats were like that, I would have gotten one. After all, I really could have used a friend. One that understood what I said, one that I could have vented my frustrations too.

"Meow," it says. It stands up, wobbling on my outstretched arms. I bend my arms down onto the bench and it slowly walks to it. I flinch when I see its tail. The base looks like it's been mauled by a bear trap. "That looks terrible." I reach into my school uniform and pull out a handkerchief. For some reason they seem to keep a copy of it in the uniforms. No idea why and I don't really care why either.

I used it to make a makeshift bandage and tie it around the cat, slowly. While I do this I am amazed at how calm it's acting. Almost like it was a person. No, that's not right. Even calmer than a person. Most people who get bandages don't stay perfectly still. They flinch and complain. This one doesn't even make a sound even when I jam my fingers into its bloody tail to stop some of the bleeding.

All it does is looks at me, its eyes never blinking. "Meow." It's a bit creepy. "Meow." Yes, very much so.

"All done," I tell it. I pick it up and check to see if there are any other injuries and am satisfied to see nothing else. "Well, I've done my good deed for the day." Would be nice if someone does something good for me. "I am sorry I couldn't do more. I can't believe no one stopped this. A park full of people, well, I guess not full, but still! Someone should have done something."

"Meow."

"I know, sometimes these guys make me so frustrated." Then again, this is the country where Dolphins get their throats cut while children walk past them in the island district. The video I saw of that still freaks me out. Curse you internet! "But then..there so similar to the people of my own home."

The cat suddenly looks interested. Its eyes light up with curiosity. "Oh, you want to hear my story little guy?"

The cat actually nods.

I am not joking.

"Okay…" So I give the kitten a brief description about my life, about my village, about my world, my upbringing, and my old home. The more I tell the cat, the more fascinated it seems to get. Pretty soon it nods its head to some of the more interested parts of the story…and looks sad when I tell it the more painful parts of my story.

It's as if it cares about my feelings, which doesn't make any sense, but that's the impression I get. When I tell it about how the people in my home used to treat me it actually licks my hand, and tries to cheer me up. I can't help but smile at antics like that, and I try not to cry when it rubs its head on my hand when I tell it about my death.

All in all, it was a very emotional, very awkward, and a very painful experience. But when I am done my tale, I feel so much better. I feel free, and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

"Meow." The cat crawls onto my lab and starts to close its eyes. "Meo..."

It falls unconscious. Hmm, I must have worn her out with my story. I guess I tend to ramble a lot, give me a reason to talk about Ramen and I'll write you a book by the end of the week.

"Hey, Uzumaki-san," someone says. I turn around to see Naru and Usagi running towards me. I wave my hand at the two and tell them to be quite. They look annoyed as I do this, but undertsand why when they see the cat. Usagi is the first to react. " My goodness, it looks awful."

"Agreed," Naru says. "Did someone try to pull out its tail?"

"Not someone, some kids." I take off my school uniform jacket and wrap it around the cat, then look at the two of them. "Can anyone of you bring it to the vet. I am not allowed pets in my..home."

Naru looks like she is about to ask why, but holds her tongue. The redhead instead shakes her head and looks helpless. "I have to help my mother with her Jewelry store sale, it's going to be a big one."

"Sorry," Usagi says, and she looks like she really means it. "I am already in enough trouble with the..you know."

I nod, but don't like it. "Then I guess I'll have to figure something out." I stand up. "Naru, you said your mother is going to give you a ride home. Can she make a quick stop on her way?"

.

.

I got a container from the pet store, though I am ashamed to say that it was Naru's mother who purchased it. She's a nice woman, if a bit daring. The first thing she asked me when I met her was whether or not I was Naru's boyfriend, by which I replied with a quick no. It's not that I think Naru is ugly, it's just that I have bigger problems right now.

Staying alive for one.

When her mother heard about the kitten, and how I found it she told me that I was a person with an amazing heart, and I told her that it was not a big deal. She told me that not many people would have gone out of their way to help a stray, and I told her that back in my village, people would.

Of course that was a lie. People in my village would have probably stomped the stray to the ground. But it as a nice thing to say.

When I got to the orphanage I had to get special permission to keep it in my room, at least until it was better. They told me that I would have to take it to the pound afterwards, and I agreed to their conditions. It's not that I dislike the cat, it's just that I don't' have time to take care of pets. Pets are a huge responsibility and I can hardly take care of myself.

The cat would be better off with a richer owner at the very least, what could I possibly offer it?

"Meow." The cat jumps onto the bed and crawls close to my pillow. I turn to look at it, as I lay on my bed looking at my ceiling. Slowly it starts to rub its head against the pillow next to me to get into a better position and starts to fall asleep.

"You're on strange kitten, you know?" I tell her. The cat looks at me blankly. "Heh, if I didn't know any better I would think you are frowning at me."

The cat purrs aggressively and makes a slashing motion on the pillow. "Easy there, I was only joking. "It's one smart cat, probably the smartest cat in the world. Wonder who it belongs to? "Just relax and take a rest today. I'll take you to the pound and everything will be okay." I slowly close my eyes and the cat purrs. "Yeah, everything will look better tomorrow."

Before I fall asleep however, I reach up to the cat's forehead and slowly peel off the bandage to get a look at the injuries it has underneath. Finding nothing but a strange yellow crescent moon, I am tempted to put it back on, but decide to leave It out while I sleep. I'll take care of it tomorrow.

.

.

"Wake up" someone says. "Now!"

I groan and pull my head in another direction and mumble. "Iruka-sensei you're not supposed to wake me up to go to school, we aren't in Konoha anymore."

"Wake up!"

"No." I am so tired. Spending last night just walking with Usagi while on crutches took a lot out of me. That was one experience that I sure don't want to repeat. "Go away."

"I refuse to go away, young man, till you listen to me." The voice was strange. It sounded like one of those British Nannies that run those catholic schools down the street. "By the moon I've been trying t get you up for the last hour."

There is something very wrong with an older woman saying that early in the morning.

Sighing I pull my head out of my pillow and look around the room. This is strange, there is no one here. I was pretty sure I saw something before I got up, but it was a blur. Shrugging I decide to go back to sleep, it's still early, but something scratches me under the covers and I resist screaming as it digs further down my leg.

"What the hell!" I jump off the bed and roll onto the floor. A large thud is the answer to my pain and I see something beside the bed rails. It's…the cat? "Oh, it's just you."

I smile and get up. "For a second I thought I saw a ghost." Rubbing my temples I walk back into the bed, only for the cat to bite down on my feet. "What's wrong?"

The cat is glaring at me. This isn't good. Did I roll over and crush it in my sleep? "You okay?"

"No, Luna is not okay, young man." Oh shit. "I've been trying to get you to talk to me since dusk and I will be damned if I let this chance slip."

…what the hell is going on?

"Are you even listening to me?" The cat says, turning away as it looks annoyed. "Insolent boy, you can't even give me a ps response."

Probably because I've never talked to a talking animal before. Sure, I know of their existence, but from my readings of this world…they tend not to have any animals that can talk. "Sorry," I say. I sit down on the bed and rub my eyes. "You were saying?"

Now it's the cats turn to look surprise. "You..you don't seem that phased by my appearance." It looks somewhat puzzled. "Aren't you going to scream? Deny I exist? Or run away?"

I look at it blankly. "Why, you're just a talking cat?" I shrug. "I've heard of talking animals before. There are a lot of them back in my world."

The cat looks thoughtful and looks down. "Yes..I imagine there would be." It shakes its head, and looks at me with consternation. "But I am not here to talk to you about your world."

Probably not. "Right." I gesture for the cat to continue. "So what are you here for?"

"I am here to make you an offer," it says, almost reluctantly. "I am here to give you a chance to save the world."

I burst out laughing. I hold the sides of my stomach as I consider the sheer absurdity of the situation. This kitten is asking me to be a hero? This kitten, who was almost mauled by a group of boys, thinks she can make me an offer I can't refuse? What is wrong with her? Is it normal to start making demands from someone who saved you?

Deciding to humor her I let her continue. "Go on," I say trying not to break out in laughter when the cat's eye twitches. "Please tell me what you want me to do."

The cat looks suspicious at my attitude, as it should be, and meows once, before resuming. "I want you to use your…ninja skills…as you say, to complete a certain task. A task that may save this planet." From what? Is she talking about global warming? "I want you to help me fight the Dark Kingdom."

What the hell is the Dark Kingdom? "I see you aren't familiar with the Dark Kingdom, good, so perhaps you aren't a Youma." No, don't think I am a demon. Though someone did call me that once. The thing is I never saw that guy again, like the police arrested him and just never let him go. "A Youma of the Dark Kingdom works for the evil Queen Beryl who is sending her armies into Tokyo to steal life energy from people."

What the hell is life energy? Sounds sort of like Chakra. "So they are killing people?" I ask.

"No," she says, shaking her head. "But they are absorbing their life energy, which makes it hard for them to function."

"How hard? You mean make them retarded? Put them in a coma?"

"No, just a bit drowsy. Perhaps sleepy, nothing major," the cat replies. I frown. This Dark Kingdom doesn't sound so evil. "But rest assured they are bad! Even if they aren't killing people, they will once they have conquered their hidden objective."

"How do you know that?" I ask. " You a part of the Kingdom?"

"I am a part of a Kingdom, just not the Dark one," it says proudly. "I am a member of the Royal Court of the Moon Kingdom."

I look at the cat blankly, look it its crescent on its forehead, and try not to punch it.

It's been through a horrible ordeal already, and I think it's still trying to recover from its last injury. Maybe those kids did something truly horrific to make it think like this? Did they smash its head against the wall? They must have been utter bastards traumatize the cat to the point where the poor girl thinks it's some kind of Royal Space Kitten.

"I..I think I am going to go back to sleep," I say. "Good night, um…"

"Luna," it mews. "I am the Queen's advisor you know?"

"Queen Beryl?" I ask. "I thought you were against her?"

"No!" It gasps. "Queen Serenity. You see we are fighting a war right now. Our side is the Moon Kingdom, their side is the Dark Kingdom. It's a battle against good and evil."

Smells kind of fishy to me (No, I am not talking about her breath). "And what exactly happens if your side wins this war?" I ask the poor cat, who scowls under my calculative gaze. "You plan to turn this place into some kind of Moon Kingdom?"

"Of course! The Moon Kingdom was the most peaceful civilization in History!" It says, as if I asked a stupid question. "Our power expanded to all the nine planets of the solar system!"

Suddenly this peaceful kingdom sounds like hardcore imperialism.

"Good night, Luna," I say, ignoring the rest of the cat's explanation. "Hopefully when I wake up I'll find out this was all some strange dream."

"Wait, don't go to sleep. I need you to help fight the Dark Kingdom. I can't locate the Sailor Senshi, and we need them to defeat the Dark Kingdom, Mr. Uzumaki, please don't sleep…" and her voice fades away as I try and collect some nice needed zees.

.

.

Turns out that whole talk with Luna was not a dream. Also, she seems to be under the impression that I have accepted being a Guardian of Tokyo, of a sort. Since she hasn't found the Sailor Senshi, she has to rely on me to keep the forces of evil at bay. From what I am getting, these forces of evil collect human energy and use them as food.

I asked Luna if they commit crimes, and she told me that they did, but not in the murder/rape nature. Petty thieving and low scale fraud seemed to be the majority of their actions.

For some reason, I can't help but feel like I am going to be one of those super heroes who fight bad guys far, far weaker than themselves. The thought is at least helped by the fact that I am probably going to fight them with a pair of crutches, and the basic Ninja Arts, so maybe my enemies and me aren't that far off in terms of skill level.

"Now be on the lookout for any and all villains," it whispers into my ear from my shoulder. To anyone watching this it must look like my cat is licking my earlobes. If the people of Japan thought I was strange before, oh boy, I've just introduced another level of weirdness, which is saying something when you consider how this is the country of Hentai. "I've already found activity of one of the Dark Kingdom's henchmen."

I nod my head, barely listening to the cat's explanation about how she saw a demon enter the Jewel Shop near the place where I found her. I think she wants me to go in there, use whatever Ninja Arts I remember to kill the creature, and save the people the demon has been sapping energy from, free.

"Are you paying attention?" the cat asks. "This is very important! The fate of the entire world rests on your shoulders."

The only thing resting on my shoulder is your heavy body. "Right, the fate of the world. Evil monsters. Magical Princess, castles, and evil Queens." Sounds like some bad children's fairy tale gone wrong. "Listen, can we talk about this later? I have to see my lawyer to take care of some legal documents today. I even took a day off to do this."

The cat looks thoughtful. "Yes, you may do that." It hops off my shoulder and walks beside me. "By the way, you never told me how you got those injuries on your feet."

Probably because I have no idea how I got them either. Just like how I don't know who killed me. "It's a secret. Earn my trust and I'll tell you." The two of us proceed the rest of the way in silence. Until the cat decides to break it.

"For what it's worth, I am sorry."

"Why?" I ask it. "Not your fault that the fate of the world rests on your shoulders. Not your fault that I died, and I happen to have some skills that can help."

"I know that," she says. For some reason most people don't seem to notice the cat talking. I'll have to file that thought for another day. "It's just that…the responsibility of fighting evil should rest on the Sailor Senshi!"

"Not your fault you can't find them." I lean against a wall and massage my thigh. "You're just a cat. Don't get me wrong, you're one smart kitten, but you don't exactly have a lot of mobility in a world of humans."

The cat sniffs her high nose at me. "Shows what you know, I know my way around a computer. I can find the Senshi easily, if I wasn't so busy fighting the forces of evil," For good reason I don't believe that. Pretty sure you need opposable thumbs to work a keyboard. "Anyway, you had best follow me. Your first mission awaits."

And so I follow my annoying talking cat into danger. Well it could be worse, I could be going into battle with a rat, gerbil, crow, puppy, or a frog.

.

.

Now I am no genius by the normal sense, I can't figure out extremely complex problems without putting lots of effort, but it doesn't take a god forsaken genius to figure out when you are in your classmate's store. Especially when said classmate Is infront of the store arguing with her mom about the prices on jewels.

"Mom, you can't!" Naru screams. "Why are you giving away all of our gold?" Interesting, wonder if I should grab a couple. I look around me and spot a pair of ear rings. The diamonds on them must be worth a year supply of ramen. I reach down to grab a pair, when the kitten on my shoulder scratches my neck.

Great, I have a cat with morals.

"Naru, how about we talk in the back?" her mother asks. For some reason I can see a purple light come off the tall, redheaded woman. Luna must have picked up on this since she motions for me to follow them, like I am some kind of soldier. Being the nice guy that I am, I do as instructed and get a good view of her mother's rear. It's very nice, I am no judge in feminine beauty, but if it makes me feel mildly hot looking at it, she must be doing something right.

I really need to get my mind out of the gutter.

"Stop that!" the cat says, scratching my neck. I don't ask her why she does this. We both know the answer. "Your friend might be in trouble." I want to correct her, I don't have any friends, but the glare she gives me leaves little argument for what I am about to do next. How the hell am I going to take on some kind of demon when I can't even move my legs?

Eventually the two of us sneak behind the back of the shop, where the mother-daughter pair are arguing. Eventually Naru says something, and her mother slaps her on the face, making the girl sway. I am tempted to inetervene now, but Luna nips one of the toes that stick out from my caste.

"It's not time yet," she says. "Wait for her to transform. This way we are sure that this is a demon." Pretty sure this I a demon to me, normal people don't give off purple light, but it's the cat's call. I am just the part time hero for the day. A part of me even wants to lose so that I don't have to keep fighting, and maybe Luna will find some other hero."

"There," she says, 'she's transforming!"

And what a transformation it is. The tall, stunning form of Naru's mother is slowly degenerated into a tall purple skeleton like creature that I wouldn't touch with the tip of my dead, rotting penis. "I am a bit disappointed," I tell the cat. "I kind of wanted to fight her other form." Would have been interesting to get a fondle or two.

The cat looks like it understand what my plan was. "You're a bit of a pervert aren't you?" I am tempted to show her my Naruko-chan and see she what she thinks of it, but decide against it. Better save that number for the day my legs work.

"Okay, I am going to direct you from a distance, do whatever it is you Ninjas do." The lousy feline jumps off my shoulder and hides under a table. If I had a kunai on me, I would throw it at her. Sadly, I am armed with a pair of crutches, a pen in my pocket, a bloody handkerchief, and the casts on my leg.

Yeah, I am definitely prepared for a battle. You want some of this, bitch?

"Mother, oh, what have you become…" And Naru suddenly collapses onto the floor and slams her head against something hard, knocking her unconscious. The evil demon pretending to be her mother looks at the girl surprised. I don't think she expected to take care of her that easily, but I guess even the bad guys get lucky sometimes. After all, one of them did manage to get behind me and tear my head off.

I back away slightly and my crutch decides to take that moment to hit something. This, of course, alerts the six foot tall demon to look my way and snarl. It opens its mouth revealing rows upon rows of sharp yellow teeth. it hollow black eyes try to pierce through my soul, and its long purple nails are expanding. I try not to gulp, or look afraid. Like animals these guys likely smell weaknesses.

Instead I decide to do the smart thing. Turn around, start limping away, and hope she doesn't decide to follow. I actually get a fair distance before my cowardly cat runs out of her hiding place and screams, "What are you doing? Use those Shadow Clones you've been telling me about."

I would, if I had any confirmation that I could still produce them. I only ever made one of them, and that was only once, right before I was killed. Not sure how much help one clone could be against that giant behind me.

"Behind you!" my cat screams. "Duck!"

Instead of ducking, I do one better and jump onto the floor. My casts make a heavy thud, and one of my crutches slips to the ground. Before I can reach for it, a hand grasps my bottom cast and pulls me to its direction. I suppose it could be worse, it could have grabbed higher, and that would have been awkward.

"Well, what do we have here," it purrs. "You're a big one aren't you?" No, you're just freakishly huge. "You must have a lot of life energy in you?" Probably, but I don't intend to find out.

Like a baseball player I swing the crutch I am holding onto like a bat and smash it into her face. The demon slams back against a desk, and falls over backwards. Not giving her time to make a comeback I throw my crutch like a spear, right to her face, getting a yelp from the creature as it holds onto its left eyeball.

What do you know, her wrinkly face is easily penetrable. The tip of my crutches weren't even sharp.

"Great work, Uzumaki," the cat says. It looks at the towering abomination as it stands up. "But perhaps you should use those Ninja Arts, no?"

"Luna, I don't even know if they work in this world," I tell her. "I haven't channeled chakra in almost half a year, and I don't want to do it now."

"Why not?" the cat asks, growling. "Don't you want to protect your friend? Don't you want to save her mother? Don't you want to be keep the promise you made to me?" I want to tell the girl-cat that I made no such promise, but I have enough problems to deal with. "Don't you want to save the world? Don't you want to be a hero?"

That line gets to me. Hero. Yes, I want to be a hero. I've always wanted to be a hero. I've tried to do the right thing many times before, but all my deeds were spat back in my face. I tried to be strong, so I could protect my village, a village that hated me no less, but my reward was a swift blade to my neck. Yet despite all of this, there is a raging part of me that wants to be liked by people.

No matter how much I distrust people, how much I might be bitter at them, I still want them to like me. Maybe even love me.

"Uzumaki, are you okay?" the cat asks. "You seemed distracted for a moment."

"I..It was nothing." I cough to get rid of the awkward moment. "Anyway, the first thing to do is to get Naru out of here." I look at my cat carefully. "I need a distraction. You need to give me a distraction while I carry her out of here."

The cat looks reluctant, then I see the light bulbs in its mind flashing, and I can tell that it has some kind of idea. I just hope it's not the kind that could get me killed. I am betting on more than just my life. "I have an idea," it says, walking towards the Youma, which seems to be coming towards us at a breakneck speed (bad joke).

"Meet me outside," the cat says, jumping towards the demon and clawing at its face. "Run away, and my ghost will haunt you for eternity!"

No you won't .Cat's have nine lives. I am sure you'll make it out of this in one piece. "Come on, Naru. Luna's going to buy us some time." I sling the light girl over my shoulder and start limping away. I use my remaining crutch as a walking stick. "Almost out, okay, we're here." We are in the street right now. It's dark so it's fairly empty, plus it's late.

I call a cab with my whistle, and I push the girl into the back, while handing the driver enough money to at least drop off the girl somewhere safe. Which probably wouldn't be far since I gave the guy 600 yen.

"Uzumaki, prepare yourself," Luna screams, coming out of the store with the demon behind her. I laugh at the site of the furious creature holding its face, which seems to contain slash marks. "I've made it rather angry."

Really? I can't tell. "Stand aside!" Luna moves out of the way as I fling the pen I had in my pocket at the monster. It doesn't even try to dodge it, which is fine, since I replace it with myself the next instant, sending my fist at her jaw.

The monster is flung back through the store's glass window, sending shards of glass in all directions. At t the same time I topple to the ground, holding my fist on my other hand. I grit my teeth as my face makes impact on hard concrete pavement, and I look up to see the demon jump out through the hole in the window the next instant, its body covered in glass.

To my horror the thing doesn't seem to be bleeding, and it smirks at this. "Thought you could injure me? Don't kid yourself, human, I am a Demon of the Negaverse." I don't bother asking what the Negaverse is. Probably a parallel dimension or something. "Once I've taken care of you, I will hunt down pretty little redhead, and kill her very slowly." It smiles an insidious grin. "Can't have anyone giving away my cover, no?"

Still gritting my teeth at the pain on my hand and face, I push myself off the ground and try not to look away at the morphing face of the creature. it continues to change into something more dead than alive, and my shaking hands aren't helping me feel very comfortable about the whole situation.

See I have this fear of ghosts. And, by the look of the decaying thing, this is about as close as it gets to the undead.

Without warning the Youma charges through the glass littered floor, smashing the pavement as it runs, and kicks me off the ground and to telephone pole. As I try to stay conscious Luna screams at me at me to duck as a swipe narrowly misses my head. Thinking fast, I push my foot back and slam my heavy cast into the creature's stomach, but not before powering the kick with a bit of chakra, sending It hurtling down the street and onto a trash bin.

"There! That's more like it! I know you could do it! I believed in you!" Lousy cat, don't count your chickens yet. I don't even know if the body switch jutsu and that brief channel was a fluke. It might just be a onetime thing. Standing up I look down to my feet and see that the cast on my left foot is busted. No surprise, I just used it like a battering ram to smash the creature's ribs.

Speaking of which, the thing is pissed. I hear a deadly shriek as both sets of its claws extend from the tips of her fingers, and try not to flinch as her long hair moves in the wind behind her. Those claws, look sharp, sharp enough to cut wind, and turn me to mince meat.

This is not good. I need more time. Reaching out for the Chakra in my body I put my hands into a cross and create a Shadow Clone.

It works. It actually works!

The Shadow Clone looks at me, then at Luna, then at the demon, shrugs, and charges the creature. Since the clone isn't made of flesh it isn't limited by the physical disability of myself, but it sure as hell isn't as durable as me. It seems to know this since it is careful to dodge attacks, and uses distance tactics to keep the demon distracted.

"Come on, we have to find cover," my cat says. "This way."

I have no idea why I listen to the creature's tactics, since I've been trained to fight battles like these at an early age, but from what she's told me, she's been through situations like this. "There! The silverware, use it!" She points to a row of silver knives. I grin, and grab a large butcher knife made of silver. Why anyone would make something like this, I have no idea. No one said the rich were practical. "Your leg healed?"

"I think so, we were supposed to remove them today," I say. I take a deep breath, channel chakra into my hands to strength it slightly and start cutting off the cast on my other leg. Once its off I feel kind of strange since both of my feet are on the ground.

"How is your balance?" Horrible, I want to say. "Can you fight?" Is that even a question.

For good reason a memory of being stabbed flashes through my mind and I realize that my clone has died. Crap! I needed more time. At least enough to get a better feel on my feet situation. Looking around desperately I see a jeweled Japanese Katana with a gold hilt (once again the rich are not practical) and run out of the store to meet my attacker head on.

It stops midway and smiles. "Well, I've taken care of that pest," it puts her hand on her hips, pretending to be sexy and says, "Come and get me, big boy."

I try not to vomit.

Of course I want to hurl when the demon comes at me at a faster speed and punches me straight in the guts, lifting me off the ground, and tossing me into the air. Biting down on my tongue I refuse to scream, and pull the blade out of its sheath and slash down at the arm. The creature screams as its arm is severed from its body and continues its assault with ferocity.

"You bastard, you son of a bitch!" It screeches and looks at the arm I cut off. "I'll kill you! I wasn't even serious about torturing your friend, but now…now you'll pay!"

Landing on the ground on my left foot, I look ahead of me and hold the sword like a baseball player. With one hand I gesture for her to 'come and get some, bitch' and she runs at me the next instant, her face contorting into a skull.

I've got her where I want her. I can do this. The angle is just right, the speed is just right, she's let her guard down, I have my guard up, and just a little bit more, one step more, and I can make a clean slice through her neck.

And that is exactly what I was about to do. When a rose lands between the two of us, causing the running demon to stop, look up, and duck as another half dozen roses lands onto the pavement.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to scream at the injustice of it all! I had her! I totally had her, and someone interrupts our match.

I look up, my furious eyes alight with fire, at the figure who supposedly saved me and see….Batman?

"I've come to your aid, fellow defender of truth and justice." Truth and what now? "Do not lose hope, for with our combined forces, we shall prevail." The figure opens his cape to reveal a tall man wearing half an opera mask, a black tuxedo with a large top-hot (I am not making this part up), and a pimp cane. "For I am a Tuxedo Mask, enemy of evil, and friend to all who oppose the darkness."

…yeah, I'm sort of speechless too.

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Please Review: Since I got a lot of responses for the last chapter I decided to update this ASAP! Keep sending your comments I'll keep providing you stories! I'll get back to you guys when I have tme, I promise!

Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto or Sailor Moon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

GoGo

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Let's take a quick assessment of my situation, shall we? More specifically I'd like to list the arsenals I have at my disposal. To my right is a talking cat that runs away at the first sign of trouble, on my left is possibly a hentai in a mask, carrying around roses in some place in his body.

I am tempted to ask where, but I probably don't want to know the answer.

"At least help has arrived," my cat says, though she doesn't seem to hold any confidence in our new ally. " I wish it were a Senshi." You and your stupid Senshi! What have they done lately? Did the Senshi save Naru? Did the Senshi fight a demon with crutches? Did a Senshi almost get mauled by a walking corpse?

"Look out," Luna yells, though for once it isn't me she is yelling at. "Get out of the way Tuxedo Mask!"

For a guy wearing dress shoes, he is pretty fast. He manages to dodge a blade the Youma throws at him, and lands onto the pavement with incredible grace. This was a feat in itself since it was a seven storey jump and he made it seem so casual. He stands tall in front of the demon, even if he is twenty or so meters away, and points his cane at the beast. "Your evil ways are about to end, Youma." In a flash the cane extends and stabs the creature in its chest , sending the Youma hurtling down the street and into another store.

The alarm on the shop starts to ring and I want to curse this idiot. Now the police are going to be here in the next ten or so minutes, so we are going to have to wrap up this fight by that time. Luna seems to understand that as well, since she glares at the Idiot Mask and tells me to pick up the blade and finish the Youma.

"Are you injured?" the masked man asks. He turns around and jumps at least twenty feet into the air and lands in front of me. He looks at my injuries and then at the cat. "Maybe you should get him to the hospital. That hand looks busted." I want to tell him his brain must be busted, since he just let the whole neighborhood know that we are fighting. "Get out of here, I'll take care of the rest."

Before I can tell him to fuck off, a screech from the store the Youma is in lets us know we are in for an even bigger fight. The creatures steps over the broken window, with more glasses covering its wretched body and gives the tall man a withering glare. I seem to be ignored and maybe I should take this time to get the hell out of here.

"You've ruined my operation. For that you must die," it says, its body shaking in anger. "Think to take me, human? I assure you that you will not be able to!"

Pretty sure I could have killed you a minute ago if tux boy didn't show up. I look at my cat, who seems to contemplate running away and then look at super butler, who doesn't seem bothered that his spear to the creature's stomach doesn't work.

He looks at me, and scowls. "Can you use that sword?" He shows me his cane and twirls it in his hand. "There is no sharp edge on this thing."

"Not sure, I've never used a sword before. A ninjato, but never a real sword." I make a slashing motion and he finds it satisfactory. "If I get in the right position I might be able to take her out, but other than that, this sword is more of a liability."

He nods, pulls out a rose from thin air and throws it at the creature, who was trying to sneak up on us while we are talking. The rose stabs the creature in the eye, and it falls to the ground screaming. Even if it can't bleed, it seems to feel pain. That's good, right? "We've got five minutes before the cops get here," he says. "Sorry, I thought I could finish it off with this cane, but it's a lot stronger than it looks."

I want to tell him that his apology is not accepted, but the creature is already pulling the rose out of its eye, and looks about ready for murder. I look around the place and think of a plan. Luna is gone, which doesn't surprise me, and Tuxedo Mask doesn't look like he can take a hit. He's tall, I'll give him that, but he is built like a lover, not a fighter.

"How many of those roses have you got?" I ask him. "Is there some kind of limit to the number you can summon?"

He shakes his head. "Honestly? I am not sure." He pulls out another two roses and flings them at the demon, hitting two on its legs, making it kneel on the ground. "But I don't want to find out. We've got four minutes left."

I sigh, and rub my temples. "Okay, that's no help." I look at my sword. Then look at him. "You got anything else that we can use?"

He looks thoughtful, frowns, looks constipated, and sighs. "Yes, maybe I do." He looks at something far away and nods his head. "Yes, that just might work."

I am tempted to ask the asshole what his idea is, but the demon is pulling the roses out of its body and is probably going to come after me in a second. "Alright, I'll provide a distraction." I channel Chakra into my legs, hope that it holds, and speed down the street with the jeweled Katana. It is blocked midway by the demon, and it slashes my stomach. I flip over once and slash down at the monster, and it dodges the swipe.

Bouncing on my feet I get a better feel for my balance and charge at it again. Three minutes and the cops will be here. I seriously hope Tuxedo moron isn't just going to leave me high and dry. Then again, that wouldn't make much sense since he is clearly here to save me, so he wouldn't be doing his job if he just left.

"Why are you just blocking!" an annoying voice says from a top a building. I look up to see Luna glaring at me. "Don't they teach you how to use a sword in Ninja School?" Not really, but they do teach us how to make traps, throw kunai, strange historical battles, science, philosophy, strategy, and how to blow shit up.

Looking back, it seems kind of strange that they never showed us how to use a sword, but then we aren't really samurai.

"How about you stop complaining and come down and help?" I ask it. "You've got claws, can't you use them?"

Luna sniffs, ignoring my plight and looks at something in the distance. "I am a thinker, not a fighter." It suddenly goes away, and I seriously consider throwing my sword at the kitten just to see if it hits.

"Don't turn your back away from the battle," the Youma screams. "You might find a hand in your chest." Sounds kind of sexy, or it would if it wasn't said by a corpse. "Die!"

I fling myself to the side and flip in mid air, landing on a crouch like some cougar ready to pounce. The demon quickly changes direction and spears me into the ground, then straddles my chest. I channel chakra into my hands and smash it into its face. It screams and gets off, clutching its bone like face in agony. "How do you like that?" Score one for Naruto. "That's what a punch from a Ninja feels like!" One who failed the Academy exam three times.

The demon wobbles from left to right and I slash my katana at its chest getting a huge gash into its chest. It screams and I hack it like a possessed psychopath. I can't let it recover, I just can't. This thing has some incredible endurance, and I don't want to test which one of us has the higher stamina.

Two minutes left, I've got two minutes before the police arrive and I have to finish her off. Tuxedo bastard has left me for dead, and my cat seems to have given up on me. I can't rely on them, I am on my own. This is just like back in Konoha.

So what? I've had bad odds before. I'll probably always have the lower hand, always be the underdog, and always have a disadvantage. That's okay. That's life. People live, people die. But at the end of the day I am going to survive, because that is the kind of person I am.

With as much might as I can possibly gather I channel my chakra into the blade. My hand aches, and this is the first time I've put chakra into a weapon, and I hope I don't lose function on this arm. It stings, and I can't get a firm hold on it, but I know that if I use this sword right now, it will slice this demon in half.

"Die!" I scream, and bite down my tongue as my Chakra sizzles out of control through my hand and into the sword. "Go to hell you crazy corpse bitch!"

With one move I've taken out the creature's other arm and part of her chest. With a final play the she-demon takes a leap and extends her head to bite off my own. I can't block it, I don't have the energy to do so, its coming at me too fast, and this is it. I've tried, I really did. The only consolation I get from this is that I took her out while I was still injured.

How many other people can do that? How many others would put themselves against such bad odds? How many others would risk their lives to save other people? Not many.

But I would. And I did, and this is the result.

Before the creature can bite down on me, something fast latches onto its face and the creature is flung back. It extends its head like a serpent and starts to wobble from left to right trying to shake the black thing off.

"Luna," I gasp. "I thought you ran away!"

My cat doesn't answer, but instead bites down on the creature's nose. Before I can run at it, and take her off, she jumps off and then something amazing happens.

The demon gets lifted off the ground by a passing motor bike and smashes onto the road. Before it can get up the person driving the bike does a wheelie and runs it over like road-kill. Then he turns the bike around and proceeds to run it over a second time. Before the person can do this a third time the creature turns into dust and the person stops his bike halfway and looks at me.

"Sorry for the wait," he says, revving up his engine. "I had a problem with the motor starting." The bastard smirks under his white mask. "You don't look so good."

Fuck you. "I've been better." I look down at my form and notice the creature has done a number on me.

Sighing, I tear off a piece of my shirt and wrap it around my bleeding hand. Then I look at the worried expression on the masked man's face and realize something. Something that makes the bile in my stomach rise, something that I've been dreading since the guy came into the scene, something that is probably behind me.

"The police are here, aren't they?"

Instead of nodding he ducks as a hail of bullets shoot across the street. I fall to the ground and put my body over my shaking cat. Luna meows worriedly once or twice and I get the distinct impression that she's never had to face problems like this before. Sirens start to blast through the torn apart street and I hear police cars stop, and passengers get out. I look up to see a team of Japanese officers hold their guns out, ready to fire.

"This is the police, drop the weapon you are holding." I look at my right hand and notice I am still holding the Katana. This isn't good. I look at Tuxedo Mask and notice he is charging his motor cycle. The bastard is going to get out of this fine, but I am not. "We have you surrounded! I repeat! We have you surrounded!"

No shit. Can you please be a bit more obvious?

"Luna, don't move. I am going to turn myself in." I stand up, with my legs shaking, and drop my sword to the floor. My hands are raised high in the air, and my bleeding face looks neutral. I don't say a word as some of the armed men come my way, ready to arrest me.

It's pretty dark out right now, so I can't see their faces very well, and they can't see my bloody one that well either, but from what I gather they look apprehensive. Then I realize why, and I resist the urge to scream.

Tuxedo Mask has released a hundred rose petals into the air.

And the police take this as a sign to fire.

"Uzumaki!" Luna screams. "No!" Bullets pierce through my chest as if my body were made of glass, and shatter my ribs. I resist the urge to cry, and continue to stand. The problem is it's hard to stand when you're losing blood faster than a faucet loses water. My vision becomes dizzy, my head starts pounding, and I can hear the police run towards me with the intent to do harm.

This isn't fair. I did the right thing. I tried to be a hero. I saved someone. Why should I be the one to suffer? Why do I always get the short end of the stick? Why is life so unfair? Why couldn't I be like everyone else?"

As these thoughts race through my chaotic mind and I start to fall to the ground, something grabs my back and slams me against a seat. My legs dangle helplessly on the side and I notice the ground starts moving at rapid speeds. I look to the side to see the back of Tuxedo Mask and notice he has got half a dozen bullet holes on the back of his cape.

Something presses against my back and I realize that Luna is there. She bites down on the skin some of the bullets must have pierced through, and seems to be trying to get it out.

"Hold onto something!" Tuxedo Mask shouts. "I'm going to put this on full power." With one quick motion, one fast wheelie, one click of a nozzle, the bastard blasts through the road like some berserk speeder and leaves the rain of bullets in our wake. The rose petals that seem to come off his cape is covering our exit, and the giant moon in the night lights our way.

Police cars start to follow, and I can hear a helicopter in the air. I think I hear someone shouting for us to slow down or they will open fire, again, but Tuxedo Psycho isn't listening to them. "Is he awake?" he asks my cat. "I am going to speed up the bike. I need him to hold onto something!"

Shaking and afraid that I am going to fall off, I struggle to sit up straight, and, regrettably, I put my arms around the fucker's slim stomach. This is the most awkward position I've ever been in, in my life, which is saying something since I've made a habit of transforming into a naked girl when the mood takes me.

"We'll never speak of this, ever," he says, gritting his teeth. "You got it?"

I nod, my cat laughs (bitch!), and the two of us ride down the highway, with the giant Moon in the sky.

.

.

I wake to an angry alarm clock and groan as something hits my face. I open my bleary eyes to see Luna's worried red orbs. It's sort of comforting to know that someone cares about you, even if they are worried more about their mission than you specifically. "Thank goodness!" she says. "I thought you would never awake!"

I try to smile but my face feels so sore. "What happened?" I try to move my arms and legs. To my astonishment they move. Both sets of them actually move. I look back at my talking cat and notice she looks relieved. "The last thing I remember was…ugh, seriously I don't want to say." Yeah, riding with that hentai is not something I am ever going to talk about, again.

"Indeed," she agrees. "We have much bigger problems at our hand than some Romeo in a cape." Did she just make a joke? Interesting. So she does have some sense of humor, even if it's the insulting kind. "How is your body? Do you feel any pain?"

Everywhere. "No, not one bit." I remove the sheets from my body and notice that I'm undressed. "Luna, um, did you-,"

"No!" she shouts, blushing. "Dr. Mizuno made a visit and healed you." She looks down onto the bed sheets. "I heard that you almost died. You should have died. The bullets hit your lungs."

I pale. "Am I still in critical condition?" Please say no, pleas say no. "Am I out of the red?"

She shakes her head. "At one point you were way past that." She looks out the window, I follow her gaze and notice that the sun is about to go down. I sigh, and try to think how long I've been passed out. Luna answers my question for me."Four days, you've been knocked out for four days."

I nod, and look at my injuries again. They seem to be gone. My healing factor must have been working overtime. I look at Luna, who looks somewhat uncomfortable. "Luna, how did the Tuxedo guy know to drop me off here?" The question catches the cat off guard. "Did you tell him I live here?"

Luna shakes her head. "No, I did not. " She bites her lip, and thinks. "He just dropped you off on the curb, told me to take care of you, and blasted down the street, leading the cops as far away as possible."

I nod. The guy is an idiot, but at least he got me out of danger, and out of jail. I go to the drawer and pull out some clothes. Luna looks away as I change with a blush on her cheeks and I want to ask her why my naked body bothers her. I mean, she is just a cat. It's not like she is a human girl or anything. Plus, she is naked all the time.

"Hurry up and change," she says, still looking embarrassed. "And give me a warning next time before you suddenly start walking around naked." I smirk. The kitten is a major prude. I can use that against her. "Are you done yet?"

"Yeah, I am." I look at the clock and groan. "It's pretty late right now. Do we really have to go on patrol?"

The cat looks frustrated. "I don't like this either. You just woke up, but you haven't been active in four days. Who knows what kind of schemes the Dark Kingdom has thought up while you were asleep." I wasn't asleep you lousy bitch, I was bordering on the brink of life and death. "Put on some shoes and head out."

Careful not to step on the cat on my way to my sneakers, I grab a pair and put them on. There isn't a mirror in this room so I have no idea how I look. I probably look like a beat up hobo, but I don't have time to think about little details like that.

I have demons to worry about. Demons that want to destroy my new home. I still don't understand my role in this battle, if it can even be called that, but I know that without me someone would have died tonight. I saved someone, and it feels good. I got to be a good guy for once and even if I almost died, I at least didn't have to do it alone.

"Okay, Luna, let's go." I let the cat climb onto my shoulder. "But this doesn't mean I've agreed to be the Guardian of Tokyo, once you find those Sailor Senshi, I am out of the picture."

The cat meows once, and nods her head.

.

.

It turns out that the next Youma is located in some Cram School a block away from the orphanage. Luna says that she has some contacts that might help narrow down where exactly in the building the demon is located. I want to ask her how a talking cat has contacts, but decide against it. The more I know about this whole Moon Kingdom business, the more I am going to get sucked into her stupid world.

The morning after my patrol, if you can even call it that, I go to to collect a Doctor's note and she tells me to stay away from gang fights. I don't deny or admit that I was beat up by a gang because she's pretty good at spotting lies. I am just grateful that she is so busy, otherwise I would have a very interesting conversation about bullet wounds that go deep into my lungs.

"You should hurry up, you are going to be late for class," Luna says as I get ready. "Without those annoying casts you should be able to dress faster." I should, but I want to make sure that I don't look injured when I get to class. I can't let anyone know that I was in that street massacre incident last week.

After I am done getting my supplies I walk to Juuban Middle School and notice that the people in the neighborhood are reading the newspaper. It seems like everyone in the immediate area has their head glued onto the pages. I decide to grab a nearby paper and look at the headlines.

JUBAN PLAZA ATTACKED BY ARSONS!

On the front there is a blurry picture of me holding a Katana. Since I was wearing dark clothes at the time, my clothes blend in with the black street and you can barely see Tuxedo Mask. I try not to think what the newspapers have to say about someone like that. He doesn't exactly look like someone ready to blow up a district for no reason.

"What are you looking at?" A voice says from behind me. I turn around to see Usagi and Naru trying to look over my shoulder on their tip toes. "Oh! Not that again. That's all they ever talk about."

"Oh, why is that? It's not like anyone died." At least I hope no one died. "Plus it was only two people."

Usagi shakes her head. "That's not it. The thing is they had a high speed chase all across Tokyo, and the two bombers got away. It was the strangest thing I've ever seen. We couldn't get a good look at them since the guy driving the motor cycle wore this huge cape."

I laugh. Somehow that idiot's cape actually came in handy. Who would have thought? "What do you think of this?" I point to the paper. "You believe it?"

To my surprise it's Naru who answers. "I don't believe it." She looks at me strangely, and then shakes her head. "I think it was…something else." I can tell she wants to say more, but I don't push her. I can understand where she is coming from. Who would believe her if she told them that a demon pretended to be her mother and almost killed her?

"Oh no!" Usagi shouts. "We are going to be late!"

The next instant I see the girl run down the street like a cheetah and turn to see Naru sigh. "That girl, I told her we had to hurry and she stops here just to chat." She then follows the blond and runs down the street. I wait a few seconds then run into an alley and climb up the wall. Pretty soon I am at the rooftop.

I get a good view of the city and decide to run over rooftop to rooftop until I get to my school. It takes less time than using the street system, since there is no traffic and I beat the two girls to the front gates.

I turn around in time to see the gate's start to close and wave my hand at the crying Usagi who slams her hands against the rails, crying for the gate keeper to let her in. This is another thing I find strange about Japan. A lot of private schools have gates that close after a certain time period. There is the third bell that means that a person is late, and a fourth bell that means that the gates are going to close.

I guess it's useful since it keeps away trespassers, but it's damn annoying if you get into an accident on your way to school. Sure the gatekeeper will let you in, but he always gives you a warning to not do it again, and on top of that you have to serve out a longer wait in the hallway.

"That girl, how she manages to be late even when she runs ahead of us, I have no idea." I turn to see Naru, who frowns at me. "You aren't the only one who knows a short cut or two," she says.

I try not to smirk, since that would be mean to Usagi, but I have to admit she has a point. Pretty soon the two of us are in class, and Miss Haruna doesn't have anything to say about our tardiness. I guess she saves her anger for Usagi. "Class we have a new transfer student today," she says. "Please come in, Miss Mizuno."

Mizuno? I have a doctor named Mizuno. Is this a coincidence? I think not. From what I've gathered everything in this city happens for a reason. It's no accident that I found Luna, it's no accident that Luna found a person who might oppose the Dark Kingdom, and it certainly was no accident that Tux boy saved me.

"Ami, please come in," Haruna-sensei repeats. "Everyone is eager to see you." I look around the room and notice they look half dead. Most of them were probably staying up all night watching the news on the whole Plaza Massacre.

"Hai," a meek voice says from outside. "I'm coming in." Then a small girl with deep blue hair, a pair of thick glasses, and a pale complexion comes into the room. She is wearing the school uniform, and I have to admit that the blue uniform suits her very well. She looks at the occupants in the room that are mostly staring at her with disintrest, probably because she looks like your standard Japanese girl.

Haruna-sensei coughs once to let the shy girl know that she should start. The girl nods her head meekly and looks around the room, noticing that the class does not look particularly happy seeing her. I lean against my chair and don't question why. It probably has something to do with the gloomy aura she seems to produce.

I am guessing if a hot bombshell like Naru's mom were to enter, the class would have a much more interesting reaction. "Hello, my name is Mizuno Ami." She bows her head once and looks at the teacher, who continues to encourage her. "I am fourteen years old." Makes sense, almost everyone here is. For some reason some of the students look at me once before looking back at her. Bastards probably still remember my intro. "I live in Juuban with my mother, her clinic is nearby." Wait, doesn't Dr. Mizuno have her own private clinic, away from the hospital? "Please take care of me." She finishes her intro with a half bow.

Haruna-sensei shakes her head and continues for the girl. "Ami is also the number one ranked Junior Chess Champion of Japan, Captain of many Academic Teams, the Number One National Middle School Exam scorer, and has gotten a full scholarship to this Academy."

Haruna-sensei, you are an idiot.

The class's reaction to the new girl is startling. They look at each other, whisper harshly to one another, and have faces ranging from awe, shock, fear, and jealousy. Most of it is jealousy and that is the problem. The shy girl seems to pick up on this because she tries to say something, but our teacher tells her to sit down on a chair behind me.

Now this is strange. I wasn't aware there was a seat behind me. I look around and see, to my surprise, an empty seat. I shake my head in frustration. This is one strange school.

"Sensei, wasn't there someone sitting there?" Glasses guy asks. "Pretty sure he didn't' transfer out."

Haruna sensei doesn't answer his question, and Ami takes a seat behind me. I notice that the small girl is holding her bag tightly, as if someone is going to take it away. She sits down on her chair carefully, and tries to make herself look as small as possible. As she takes her workbook out, I can't help but notice that there are a lot of extra books as well.

It is then that she notices that I am staring at her, and looks uncomfortable, looks as if she has been caught doing something wrong. "Wasn't aware we had so many math text books," I tell her. This makes her look scared. "I am sort of new here too."

She relaxes, if only slightly, and nods. "These are the supplementary textbooks. If you are missing them, then it isn't a problem." I contemplate looking over one of them, but the class resumes and I have some catching up to do.

When the bell rings Miss Haruna steps out of the class and tells us to do some self-study. I take that moment to rest my head against the desk and try to catch some much needed rest. I am so tired, so weary, and the class was really intense. I never did statistics back home, and I am starting to really despise the subject.

"So, which school did you go to before coming to Juuban?" someone asks. I don't bother lifting my head off the desk, partly because I don't care, and mostly because I am just too tired. "You think of joining any clubs here?" Damn these girls are annoying. "We have a study group going, you want to join?"

The questions are harmless enough, but each of them seem to have the same undertone to it: we want to know you, but mostly we want to know how much help you can give us. Maybe I am wrong, maybe they are just nervous talking to a smart girl like Mizuno Ami, but somehow I doubt it. Japan is a city of competition, school is tough, getting a job is tough, and keeping one is even harder. There are a lot of people in this city, and if you want to be successful in this country, you need to use every resource available.

If the resource comes in the form of one of the best students of Japan, heck, why not?

"Hey, why aren't you answering me?" one of the girls ask. "Did you hear me?" Pretty sure she did hear you, doesn't mean she wants to answer.

"I am kind of busy right now," the girl says, slowly. "I have cram school so I don't really have time for clubs or study groups." That's a terrible lie. Cram school isn't that long. "I also help out at the Clinic." Another lie, good show. Way to tell your classmates that you want nothing to do with them. "But I wouldn't mind, um, meeting outside of club activities."

Bad move smarty pants. You really don't know how to deal with people, do you?

I put my head up and look at the girls who watch each other. I am no expert at reading expressions, but I am pretty sure they feel somewhat rejected over the situation. Not surprising really. They tried to recruit someone way out of their league, and got shut out before they could make their pitch.

"I see," the leader says, slowly. "Sure, we wouldn't mind meeting some time." She turns to her girls and they all nod at once. "We'll talk later, Mizuno-san."

The girls walk away, back to their side of the classroom and start chatting. I look over at Ami, who has gone back to her work, and I am tempted to ask her why she is so afraid to form a study group. Maybe someone used her, maybe she can't handle people, maybe she's a bitch, maybe I am over thinking things. Somehow I doubt I am wrong, in all accounts, and I tap the girl's desk to get her attention.

She looks somewhat annoyed that I interrupted her and she asks slowly. "Can I help you..."

"Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto," I finish for her. "What are you doing?" I point to her work. "You finishing up our homework?" She nods and continues working. "Ara, ara, you got that question? I couldn't get it right."

She pauses, looks up, and sighs. "It's not that hard." She turns her page around and points to the most difficult part of the question. "See, you have to remember this rule." And then she proceeds to explain to me how to get the answer.

I listen raptly at her explanation, and lean against my chair. From the corner of my eye I can see some of my classmates look at me with apprehension, and I wonder why that is. Some of them are looking at my feet, and I realize, for the first time, that no one has asked me about my cast.

"Can I ask you a question?" Ami asks. I turn to her, and see that she looks suspicious. "Why do they keep looking at your feet."

I rub my hand on the back of my head, then catch it, shit, I still have that bad habit. "The last time they saw me, I had a cast on my leg." She looks like she is about to ask how I got it. "Accident, a very bad accident." The girl looks uncertain but closes her mouth.

The bell rings, signaling that class is about to resume and I turn back to my desk. Ami puts her books away, and looks out the window. For a genius student, she doesn't seem to make smart moves, since she doesn't seem to notice how the people in the class judge her. That's a problem with talent. People want it, people crave it, people obsessive over it. I know the feeling, I know it well. I was so envious of Sasuke, envious of his genius, envious of his success, and envious of everything he had.

Mizuno Ami is smart, is the daughter of a doctor, and an Elite. If she isn't careful she will cause a lot of misunderstandings among the student body.

"Okay class, we are going to learn about the Edo period." The teacher goes on about Daimyos and Emperors. All of it sounds like I've lived through it and I can't help but feel that it's the world that I belong in. Eventually the class breaks off into a discussion and the teacher calls on some students to answer a few questions.

All of this somewhat bores me, so I look out the window. "Uzumaki-san, I see you have been paying careful attention to my lecture." I turn my head around to face the woman. The teacher is short, frail, and somewhat cold. My eyes search the classroom and I notice that a few of the boys are smirking, while the girls look annoyed. I keep forgetting how serious girls take this class. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind answering why the Emperor would want the Daimyo's family close to the Palace?

I go over what I know about Daimyo and come up with the answer based on what I remember from Iruka Sensei's lecture on why the higher nobility keep the lower nobilities' families near them. "It's probably because the Emperor wanted to keep the Daimyo under their control." I say. The teacher gestures for me to continue. "By keeping the Daimyo's family near the Palace it lets them know that if they, the Daimyos, were to betray the Emperor, the Emperor would have their families, um, killed?"

I am unsure about this last part, but my teacher nods reluctantly. "Very good, can you explain to us what the Daimyos are and…" So the teacher asks me another set of questions, one that I am pretty sure was not in the lecture since I read over today's class, and after I am done explaining my answer I am allowed to get back to watching the window.

I notice that Ami seems to think it strange that I know so much Japanese History, but maybe it is just my imagination. Living in a Ninja village tends to make you paranoid and paranoia keeps you alive. It's one of the first rules of being a Ninja, it's too bad that I learned that lesson too late.

After the class is over Ami taps my shoulder. I turn around and see her aquarian eyes a light with curiosity. "I read the chapter…some of what you said weren't in our texts." This isn't good. "Do you have an interest in Japanese history?" Me? A Gaijin with an interest in the Japanese? Give me a break. "All of the things you said about the Daimyos, that was just so...graphic."

I shrug. "The Daimyos aren't good people, so I try not to make them sound so heroic." That's one of the annoying things about the Japanese, every historical figure from a noble bloodline seems to appear powerful, wise, and god-like.

Hagiography is truly a tragedy.

"I am sure they weren't that bad." Yes they were. Maybe in this world they didn't employ Ninja, but can you say Samurai can't be as dangerous? "Besides, not all history books are accurate. Perhaps you read the sources wrong. You make them sound so…bloodthirsty." Oh, you have no idea.

I shrug, not wanting to explain to her that I've seen Daimyos before and they are utter bastards. Monsters who use the poor, and use Ninjas to do their dirty work, but that would blow away my cover. That's another thing that I find frustrating. More and more I am remembering what I learned from the Academy. I am so desperate to remember. Every lesson taught, every classroom demonstration, every word of advice, they are coming back to me.

Because I need them now more than ever. I need them now to survive.

.

.

Eventually its lunchtime and I find myself sitting by myself. It is only when glasses guy, who is really named Umino, Usagi, and Naru sit beside me that things get interesting. Umino asked me if my legs were all better since I no longer have my cast on, and I told him that they work fine. He says that I'll have to come to gym class, and I grin at him for his comment.

"So, what do you guys think about the new girl," Umino asks. He lies back on his chair and looks at Naru. For some reason he always asks Naru these types of questions. Wonder if he likes her? The two would make a strange couple. "I think she's sort of cold."

"Definitely," answers Naru, she looks at my face a second and continues. "I tried to talk to her, but she brushed me off and returned to her book." She folds her hands over her chest and looks annoyed. "It's like I was not interesting enough for her or something."

You probably weren't, but I decide not to comment." Maybe she is just shy," I try to point out. After all, Naru is sort of pretty, while Ami is a bit bland. "You are kind of intimidating."

Naru looks annoyed and sniffs. "Well excuse me for being beautiful, Uzumaki, I wasn't aware that being a strong, independent woman was a crime." She turns her head away and returns to her lunch. She's got a serious problem with me. Ever since I saved her from the shop she's been acting strange.

"Right…anyway, maybe one of us should invite her over?" Usagi asks, looking hopeful."Don't you think she looks lonely?" I look at Ami, who is sitting alone on a lunch table near a vending machine. It's the worst possible spot someone can have lunch, but it's the best place if you have nowhere else to go.

"I don't know," Naru says.

She turns to a chubby girl who hasn't stopped looking at Ami with jealousy ever since she learned of her.

I don't think this fat bitch approves of me either, and before you say that I am a cruel asshole because I called her 'fat', then I'll tell you right now that fat, skinny, short, or tall, I like girls of all shapes and sizes.

It's just that I really, really hate Naru's friend. "I don't like her." See what I mean?" I think we should stay away from her. She probably thinks she is better than the rest of us." She returns to her food and eats her sorrow away. After she is done she turns to Usagi and tries to convince the blond. "You should stay away from her too, I heard she doesn't like non-smart people."

What the hell? She insults her friend without even knowing it? Why does Umino let this girl hang with them? She then turns to me, looks me dead in the eye, and says, "What were you doing talking to her?" Meaning 'I don't approve of you, Gaijin, associating with those far, far out of your social standing.'

I want to tell her it's none of her business, but I decide against it. She may be harsh, mean, spiteful, and quick to temper, but she is still a girl, and girls can make a guy's life hell. "We were talking about Japanese History." Fat bitch has the gall to sneer at me, like I don't know anything about history. "She seems to know a lot about everything," I finish.

"Makes sense," Umino says, picking some food off Usagi's plate, causing said girl to bash him over the head with a spoon. "Damn it Usagi, you don't have to go that far! Anyway, she's reading a book right now. Probably the class lecture notes. If I studied like that I would know a lot too."

"But it's not just that," Naru says. "She is also the top scorer on the National Exam. That's pretty big."

Usagi looks up from her plate, just starting to realize what we are talking about. She's a nice girl, god bless, but she is really, really slow. "What! Wow, she is so smart." Usagi, I should stab you. "Maybe we should ask her to join our study group?"

Fat bitch slams her hand on the table and turns her face away. "No, we are already crowded as it is." She sneaks a peek at my direction to let me know that I am also not invited to their study group. Umino looks like he is about to say something, but the chubby girl cows him down.

Naru then glares at Fat bitch, causing the little shit to look meek. "I think we have room for at least one more person," she says, then directs her angry stare at my direction. "But you probably don't need it, do you?"

Probably not, but it could still be useful. Higher grades means a higher position in this world. "Yeah, I am good at math, physics, anything with problems, but I am crap when it comes to some of the other courses."

Naru nods and Usagi looks uncomfortable. She stares at the lonely blue haired girl and returns to her meal. I can tell she really wants to invite her, not sure why, but she does. Maybe it's because she is a good person, maybe Usagi sees something in her, maybe it's because Usagi has a habit of picking up strays, or maybe it's a whim. In any case, she doesn't move.

It's then that Taro and his gang enter the lunchroom and I get up from the table. They spot me as I walk away from my group and I can see their scowls from my direction. If this were Konoha Kiba would probably call me out right now, but this is Japan. You don't just come up to a guy at lunch and tell them that you are going to kick his ass. Not when there are teachers watching.

Outside, before school, is one thing. Inside while the Principle is nearby is another matter.

They sit down on their own private table that most people stay clear of and start talking. I avoid them and try not to get in anyone's way. It's hard not to do that since I have a slightly wider body than the rest of these guys.

But that's not my fault. I've been training to make myself stronger for as long as I can remember. I've been channeling Chakra since I was eight, and I've made my muscles strong enough to endure the kicks and beatings the upper classmen occasionally gave me in the park while their parents watched in the background. The only consolation was that the parents didn't join in, that would have been a whole new level of pain.

"Watch where you are going," someone says, trying to knock me back as I leave the lunch room. I look to my side to see one of my upperclassmen rub his shoulder. He is a bit taller, a bit fatter, and probably weighs a bit more than I do. "Sorry," I say, while trying to be polite. "I was kind of distracted."

He looks like he is about to say something harsh when his expression changes midway and he nods. "Just watch it, okay?" He takes a step back. "I may think you did it on purpose next time." He turns away and walks to the seats near Taro.

Well, what do you know? Not everyone in Taro's little group of assholes want me dead. It looks like factions are divided, and loyalties as well. But then that makes sense. It's not often you'll find a group of people who hate equally. Some hate less than others, while some hate more.

The problem is, they all share one thing in common, and you can probably guess what that is.

.

.

"So you sure this is the right place?" I ask my talking cat. "Doesn't look like anything evil is going down at that particular building. I even saw Ami walk in there about a minute ago."

"I am positive. This Cram school is full of dark energy. Can't you feel it? Can't you feel all of the positive energy being sucked out of everyone here?" No, not really. But I nod my head anyway, the stupid cat is going to give me no end of shit if I do otherwise. "Anyway, I am not wrong, and are you sure you are prepared to do battle?"

The cat is assessing the clothes I have on. I follow its gaze and frown.

I am still wearing my school uniform. "Don't worry, I have a plan," I say.

We are standing outside of the Crystal Cram School, and there is a shop that sells masks nearby. Well, it doesn't only sell masks. It sells toys, trinkets, porn, booze, and possibly drugs. I ask the vendor how much for the mask on the far left and he tells me it isn't for sell. I tell him he is bullshitting and he smiles.

Since I don't have time to get the mask I want I just tell the guy to give me the one that I can buy for a couple hundred yen. He hands me one that makes me cringe but I grab hold of it anyway, and proceed outside.

Luna looks at the mask and laughs. "You are really going to wear that?" Wonder if killing a talking cat is considered murder? Maybe I'll find out. "Oh, heavens! This is rich."

"Bite me." I put the mask on my face, take off my school jacket, take off my school pants, put on my gym shorts, roll up my sleeves, put my stuff into a bag and shove It behind a nearby dumpster. "Okay, let's do this. I got a test on Japanese History tomorrow and I want to get some studying done."

"That's one thing I approve of, young man." Luna says. "You always want to do your level best."

"It's not like I have a choice. I don't have enough money to pay for full tuition, so I need that lousy scholarship." I shake my head. "Forget it, the more time I spend arguing with you, the less time I have to study."

I walk into the entrance and look around for security. For some reason there isn't any and I am amazed that not a single guard is around. "Yeah, something fishy is going on." I continue to walk down the hall and realize that everything is dark. "Kind of spooky. Why the hell does Ami go here every day?"

"Who is this Ami you speak of?" Luna asks curiously. "I noticed you mentioned her at least twice today."

I shrug. "No one special, just this really smart girl in my class." I duck behind a nearby wall as a student comes down the hall of the first floor. "She's supposed to be one of the best students in Japan."

"She sounds like a lady of class." How the hell does grades determine what class a girl is, you small minded cat? "I approve of you associating with her." Since when do I need your approval?

"Now that Tuxedo Mask! Oh, I really do not trust him," she finishes. "He just seems to know too much about our enemy."

"How do you figure that?" I ask, I am kinda curious. "I don't think he could have taken down the monster without me there."

"Because he knew that he was fighting a Youma, and knew that it was evil." For some reason, I think the cat is over thinking things, but I keep my mouth shut. Luna likes to believe that she is the smart one among the two of us. "The next time you see him, apprehend him!"

I nod, not really caring about her advice. Don't get me wrong, I sort of respect Luna. Injured, and battered she went out of her way to save a bunch of people from the Dark Kingdom.

Heck, being the size of a giant rat she managed to give me enough time to fight off a demon, and even if I continue to make asshole-ish comments at her, she doesn't seem to insult me too deeply, or talk about my character in a way that belittles me.

There are a lot of things wrong with me, but Luna doesn't seem to care.

As long as I can help her, she wants to help me. In this city where people care so much about appearances, so much about fitting in, Luna is the one thing that stands opposite to everything this society believes is normal.

For Kami's sake, she's a fucking talking cat.

"Okay, take the stairs to the sixth floor. You will find your next enemy there," Luna explains pointing her paw at a set of stairs. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

I shake my head. "Couldn't I just take the elevator? It seems faster." Luna glares at me. I sigh. "Alright, we'll do this the Ninja way."

I let Luna climb onto my shoulders, transform myself to look like Mizuno Ami and run up the stairs using the Chakra under my foot. Fortunately I've been training for the past few hours to get a better feel for my current strength and am surprised to note that I got at least half of my original skills back.

I still have a bit of trouble with my throwing, but nothing short of practice can cure that.

"Slow down, I am getting dizzy," Luna says, I see swirls in her eyes. I stop and put her down. She wobbles to a nearby wall and vomits sardines. Gross. I turn away. "This is all your fault." Right, I am the one who didn't want to use the elevator?

After she finishes cleaning up herself I get her to get on my shoulder and we walk to the room where the Youma is supposed to be. "Now I want you to be very careful not to hurt any of the other students there." I nod, but don't particularly care for that part. "Make sure that no one gets hurt. We want to save these people, not cause a scene like we did last time." That's true. The police are still after me. "Do you hear me, Uzumaki?"

I am kind of pissed. "Loud and clear," I say cheerfully.

I drop the Ami Henge, but not before feeling my boobs, which gets a swipe from Luna, and take a deep breath.

I need to conserve all of the Chakra I have in my body, so I let my body get back to normal. I've got my gym shorts, a mask on my face, and my white dress shirt from school. One of these days I am going to go to a store to buy some casual clothes.

I reach into my pocket, pull out two small knives from Home Economic class and twirl them in my hands. I take a look to my left, take a look to my right, look up, and down, and grin underneath my mask. "Luna, you said not to hurt anyone right?" Luna nods, but doesn't like the tone of my voice, if her frown is any indication. "As long as I save them, that's the most important part right?"

Luna nods, again. This time scowling. "What are you up to, Uzumaki?" She backs away as I build power on my legs, and her eyes widen. "No, don't!"

I release a bark of laughter, lift my right feet off the ground, put Chakra into it, bend it towards my stomach, hold it there to collect elastic potential, and slam my feet against the door like a battering ram, breaking the large double doors off its hinges.

It sends the doors spiraling through the air like a throwing star, causing several students to duck, and the teacher to jump out of the way as the giant doors slices its way through a window. "Holy shit!" someone shouts. "Guys, run! There is some crazy fuck at the door..and the what the hell is up with that mask?"

The two or three dozen tired looking students take a look at the busted window, a look at me standing out where the doors used to be, a look at Luna (I have no idea why) and run like a pack of wild animals, as they topple on top of each other to escape.

The smarty-pants are literally clawing at their neighbors for the exit and I shudder to think what would happen if there was a fire in this building. They would probably be too busy trying to kill each other to be the first one to exit, than escaping the inferno itself.

The only person who is not trying to escape as Ami, who actually seems more concerned for her teacher. The naïve girl is helping out the woman who seems to be growing in size with every passing moment. I have no idea whether Ami realizes this, and I don't wait to find out.

Putting more Chakra through my feet, lifting both my blades on each hand, and readying myself for a charge, I prepare to spear the bitch if need be.

"What are you waiting for!" Luna shouts. "Do it!"

"Sure thing, Captain!" And I blast.

Mizuno Ami looks like a kind girl, but she does not seem to be a self-sacrificing idiot, like yours truly. The Four eyes takes one look at me, a look at my mask, a look at my knives, and jumps out of my way.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the blunette knocks her head against a nearby desk and I don't turn back to see whether or not she's unconscious and, honestly, I don't care.

The teacher transforms into a seven foot tall, spiky giant that resembles Satan wearing a incredibly sexy black dress, and opens her maw to reveal several rows of sharp yellow teeth.

If it weren't for the tooth she would actually be extremely hot. Sadly, that isn't the case, so I feel no guilt jamming my knives into her chest, using my body's momentum to slam it through the giant windows behind her, and hack at her like a block of wood as we both fall towards the ground.

"Naruto, get off her now!" Luna screams from the seventh or sixth floor. "Now you fool!"

I flip off the creature, using its body as a board and land on the ground a few meters from her. I miscalculate and accidently slip on some garbage on the road, and smash my head against a nearby trashcan.

Luckily my ridiculous looking mask provides some level of protection, so I manage to get back up okay.

Even if I see visions of Ramen bowls swirling around my head.

"It's getting up!" I hear Luna shout. I shake my head and, behold, the thing is slowly wobbling back to life. "Do something!" Thank you for your sound advice Luna, it's so refreshing to get such incredibly thought out strategies from you.

Kami help the Sailor Senshi you find, cause I am sure as hell not going to stick around after we find them.

"Duck!"

Well, at least she is good at warning me when to fall to the ground before I get my head cut off. She would have been pretty useful back in Konoha.

"Who are you?" The thing does not look happy. It's large maw is dripping venom, its demonic eyes are bloodshot, and I see steam rising from its ears. Yeah, it's pissed, real, super pissed. "Wait, I've seen you before..but where?"

As I stand on my wobbly feet, shake the pain off my head, and get into a fighting position, I hear the voice of a little boy in the background.

"Mom, mom!" He says. I grit my teeth. I know what's coming. Luna is likely somewhere in the background laughing her furry head off, and there are probably a bunch of reasons why this is one of the most ironic masks I could possibly wear.

I've seen the TV show this mask comes from, I've seen the characters, and I really, really hate their guts.

"Mom! It's..it's..oh my god! It's the Yellow Ranger!"

Ladies and gentleman, let me introduce you to one of Japan's most bizarre, addictive, tragic, heroic, interesting, and possibly most perverted invention: Ninja Sentai Kakuranger.

Also known as 'The Mighty Morphing Power Rangers.'

"Mom!" the boy continues, looking like he's won the biggest Pokemon lottery in the universe. He keeps jumping up and down, pointing to my cheap plastic mask. "This..this is incredible! I knew they were real! You told me it was just a show, you told me I was just imagining things, you even made me see a psychiatrist, but they are real!" I think he just wet himself. "The Power Rangers are real!"

I resist the urge to slam my head against a nearby telephone poll.

Before the creature decides to attack, I let out a sigh because I really, really should have coughed up the extra yen for the Optimus Prime mask...

.

.

* * *

Please Review: Keep reviewing guys, and I'll keep writing. Reviews make me write faster! Sorry, no beta. No, this isn't a power rangers crossover. Just Sailor Moon. Interesting joke though. I'll answer reviews when I have time. Wouldn't you rather have updates instead?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Sailor Moon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Doctor In The House

* * *

So I am outside, looking like a parody of Saban Entertainment's most addictive creation, with a black cat screaming for me to attack, and an angry demon waiting for me to strike. To make matters worse I can't just start charging the beast because I know that if I make a wrong move people are going to get hurt. People I don't know, people who shouldn't matter to me, but people just the same.

"Shingo, cover your eyes," the boy's mother says. From the corner of my eye I can see a tall woman with blue hair and dazzling dark eyes look at me with disapproval. "This isn't a game that young children should be seeing." Her eyes turn even darker and I can sense serious hostility from her. She looks at me and says, "You should be ashamed of yourself, doing this in public.

Huh?

"Don't you have any decency?" she continues, covering her sons eyes. The annoying boy wants to see what all the fuss is about (hey, I would too). "Don't you at least respect your girlfriend? Why force her to dress like that for you?" She glares, looks at the demon's breasts, glares at it, glares at me, and huffs.

She turns her back to us and walks away. I can hear words like disgusting, vile, crazy otakus, fetish hentais, running around half dressed, and kids these days, while she drags her blond headed son away. When she is far enough, she pauses, turns around and gives us one final withering glare filled with so much disgust that I literally feel like frog shit. "To think this used to be a good neighborhood," then disappears into the night.

I am not sure which one of us is more confused, me or the demon.

I look at her, she looks at me, and we both nod. It's an agreement that the two of us will not bring up this awkward topic for the duration of this fight. Though for reasons that I don't want to understand there is a purple blush covering her cheeks, and I am starting to think that there are more human qualities to these creatures than I was initially lead to believe.

"Uzumaki! Attack her now while her guard is down!" Luna screams from her safe haven. For a cat who goes on about truth and justice, she knows how to play dirty. "She's still injured, you can take her!"

Thanks a lot Luna, way to give away what I am about to do next.

I look at the demon who immediately has her guard up and sigh in frustration at my stupid cat. Why does she always state the obvious? Can't she give me some advice that doesn't rely on ducking, getting out of the way, or arresting people who might become potential allies?

"What…what is that!" someone screams. I look up to see Ami standing beside Luna, the poor girl looks shaken and there is blood dripping down her forehead. "Yellow Ranger? Am I in some kind of filming?"

Luna answers her question. "Yes, this is a shooting. That's an actor, I am a puppet, and there are cameras everywhere. Please leave, you are in the way." Ami jumps as the cat says this. The girl looks like she is about to run for the hills and my kitty charges on. Go furball! "Unless you want a lawsuit in your hands I suggest you run."

Not bad Luna, but you forget Ami isn't your regular civilian. "Nice try, kitty, but I am no one's fool. That thing down there is most definitely not a person wearing a costume, and I don't think you are a puppet either." The blue haired girl looks a lot colder when she's angry. I guess she gets offended at people who think she is gullible. "I am not leaving until I find out what the two of you are."

"Yes you are, young lady," the Moon cat replies furiously, drawing her claws. "Unless you enjoy keeping that pretty little face intact I suggest you follow my instructions." The cat's fangs are bared, and her fur is standing on end. "I am serious."

Even from here it looks sort of scary, but Ami's brain isn't working too well.

Must have been the hit to her skull.

"No, I am staying and that's final." Then I see her disappear from the window ledge and I groan.

I have a feeling she is going to take the stairs to get a closer look at my battle. I don't blame her, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I turn back to my opponent. "Alright, let's do this. I'll take you out before Sherlock Mizuno gets here." I put my fingers in a cross and create a single Chakra-concentrated Shadow Clone. "Any last words?" Seems like a nice thing to say.

"Of course," it replies, extending its hands out like a conductor. "Die!"

It is then I realize what the Devil-bitch's power is. It's a little something like Telekinesis, an ability to fling objects without physically touching it.

Yeah, I am fucked.

Thousands of tiny glass shards are sent hurtling my direction and my Kage Bunshin has the sense to jump unto a nearby street lamp to escape. Me? I throw myself behind a nearby car and curse at my idiocy as the thing is broken apart by hundreds of tiny shards.

"Give up, fool," it says, walking down the street sending more objects towards me. Little things like trash, dirt, and stone. The problem is it's travelling so fast that it literally smashes through walls, windows and, of course, cars.

"Don't you think I would give up if I had a choice?" I say. " What'll happen if I stop fighting? You going to let me go?"

"Of course not, don't be an idiot," it says, smiling. "The Dark Kingdom does not allow its enemies to escape."

"Can you make an exception?" I ask, hoping that the car I am hiding behind will last until her telekinetic blasts phase out. "I don't really have anything against you guys, it's just that my cat says you are evil."

"We aren't evil," the thing says, looking affronted. "Who said that?"

Does this thing work on Short Term Memory? "…I just told you who said it, my cat Luna," I repeat. "Listen, I am a reasonable guy, you're a reasonable…somewhat hot busty demon…can't we talk about this?"

"No," it says. It's now in front of the car. "Because I am going to do this to you."

The thing smiles, and smashes down both its long hands onto the car. With a screech, I feel it pick off the car from the ground and toss it behind her. It travels about ten meters and lands unto another car, and makes it explode. Hope there is insurance on that BMW, since the rich bastards who own the thing aren't going to be using it any time soon. Unless driving with half the front missing is in fashion.

The creature turns to me, opens her maw as she stands over my ready position, and grins. "Oh, how do you say this part?" she pauses drawing power around her. "Ahh, yes, any last words?

Wonderful. So I am fighting a creature that can turn anything into a bullet, has super endurance, and incredible strength.

Meanwhile I am still relearning to use my Chakra and my cat is about as useful as diarrhea on test day. Only I can depend on diarrhea to be a consistent pain in the ass, while my cat manages to screw me over in newer and more creative ways. .

"I got your last words right here, bitch!" Help has arrived. "Uzumaki Punch!" Weird. I thought I was passed that stage. Guess some habits die hard. "Gottcha!"

Of course the demon barely bats an eye. It lifts its hands to the direction of my clone, forces reverse-gravity towards it, and sends a stream of glass, rocks, and sharp objects at it. My clone isn't as useless as I think it is and manages to switch itself with a nearby trash bin, letting the bin hurtle, twist, and collapse on top of the Youma, giving the distraction I need to launch my knife into the cut that I made in the creature's chest earlier.

The thing clutches the knife embedded in its body and tries to pull it out. It's then that my clone falls down from the sky holding a long shard of glass and manages to pierce it into the back of the creature's head, causing it to scream and lash out with a powerful psychic force, which makes a huge chunk of the area cave outward. Of course this immediately destroys the clone, and I curse at my remaining reserves. Of course I have another set of reserves, but that one is much harder to control, and much more...mysterious.

"Use the bin, it has caved in to resemble a club," a feminine voice says. I turn around to see Ami hiding behind a car, while pointing at the metal bin that literally looks like a twisted club. "Hurry, before it manages to pull out the glass spike."

Right, because I was going to take my sweet time.

How about you join Luna in the State-The-Obvious Club? Bet the two of you could think of loads of incredible ways of fighting enemies like "Hit it with a bat" or "Stab it with a knife." Kami, everyone thinks the hero business is easy, but it's only easy when you aren't the one being sucker punched by some cosplayer from hell.

"I'll kill you, I swear I'll rip your heart out." Wow, what an original line. The Youma continues. "I'll rip out your throat, pull your intestines from your nose, take your eyes and shove them into your mouth and make you watch yourself eat it." The last part doesn't make any sense, but I don't want to experiment with the first two.

"Not a chance, Youma," I say, holding the caved in trash bin like a bat. I look at it carefully and smile when I see that it's got a lot of twisted metal spikes and bent edges. This thing looks like it can seriously cause pain. Wonder if I should bring this to school? Would be nice to see Taro's reaction to it.

"You talk too much!" a voice says, and I know this one too well. "If you spent more time swinging we wouldn't have as many problems with Youma." How would you know? We've only ever fought one. "Get on with it, do you want someone to get hurt?"

"No," I say. "I don't want anyone to get hurt." She's got a point. I've wasted too much time not finishing it off. I made an assumption that this thing wouldn't be as strong as the last one, but this one is on a whole new level. "Luna, sorry. I screwed up. I shouldn't have just charged in like that. I am trying to change, but I've never been a good Ninja."

Luna's voice calms down a bit. "I..I know. I remember what you said about your time in the Academy. The important part is that you want to change. You can change. I believe in you." No you don't, you believe that I'll live long enough to find your Senshi, but that's okay.

"Is there something wrong with you people?" Ami says, looking aghast. "Do you always talk while you fight? Don't you pay attention to your opponents? Is this is what you do when you engage in war?" Oddly enough, this is exactly what we did when fighting another opponent. Nothing wrong with a bit of conversation. "If you are a Ninja, why don't you attack from the shadows?"

Because the Ninja in my world fight in the open. We are just that retarded. "Because this is a secret Ninja strategy" I lie. I stand up and gesture for the creature to 'come and get some,' while I hold my bat ready to hit a home run. "Watch and learn Four eyes, watch and learn."

Ami scowls, nods and continues to hide behind the car. My cowardly cat joins her, and the demon starts running down the street ready to spear me both physically and telekinetically. Not waiting for it to reach me, I charge at it with my makeshift club and channel Chakra into it. Like the last time it looks like it's going to collapse from the Chakra force, but It'll hold, I just know it.

"Take this," the creature screams. I feel gravity work against me as I am starting to get hurled back. I channel Chakra onto my feet and pierce my feet into the ground like a spike. "Sorry, I am not that easy to get rid of," I say, grinning. "I am a lot more unpredictable than you think."

Swinging the blade at the creature I try not to roar as the pain in my arms from channeling all that Chakra threatens to tear my muscles apart. In an instant a sick crack reaches my ears, and I see the red devil fly through the air and into a van, literally, into a van. The van has caved in from the sheer impact and I can see her legs twitch.

Not giving her the time to recover I rip my feet off the ground and try not to scream as the concrete tears into my flesh. That wasn't a smart move, I just healed my feet a few days ago, and I go out and do this. It's almost like I want to be a cripple.

The creature is still a bit groggy and it barely manages to move its hands, allowing some scattered bits of rock from the ground to come my way. I block it with the bat and jump into the sky. With as much potential energy I can gather in my muscles I pull the club over my head, and then release it with devastation on the thing's skull.

The Youma manages to use its arm to block my hit, but the arm is smashed to pieces by the spiky metal bat, and it screams as the club makes impact on its skull. I huff at all the energy this has taken out of me, and land on top of the car.

"No...mercy," it says. Half of its face is broken, and I cringe at the bone plates I see underneath. It looks so human. "Please, I haven't hurt anyone." Liar! You've been stealing life energy…but that isn't really hurting anyone is it? "I haven't killed anybody." No. Don't say that. Why are you making it so hard for me to kill you?

"Don't listen to it!" Luna shouts. "Destroy it! It's the enemy. Show no mercy!" But she's not really my enemy, and if she surrenders, shouldn't I give it a second chance? "There is no negotiating with a Youma!"

"But it gave up…it looks disabled…" Ami steps out of her place behind the car and walks toward the two of us. "Shouldn't you at least give it a chance to turn itself over?" Turn itself over to what? The police? -Hey officer, you'll never guess what we got! "You are the good guys aren't you?"

Not really. Heck, I grew up in a Ninja village. "Of course we are," I say, my eyes not leaving the broken creature trapped in the metal confines of the van. "But it's evil…I made a promise, sort of, to defend the city."

"That's right," Luna says. "You made a contract to fight the Dark Kingdom until we find the Sailor Senshi." Okay, now you are just exaggerating. "Finish it now!"

I nod my head, look at the creature, lift my twisted club over my head, and sigh. "If it helps I probably would have let you go if it weren't for the cat," I say. "Do demons have some kind of afterlife when the die?"

The thing isn't in the mood for jokes. Slowly it transforms into its human form and I can see that the damage I did to it in its Youma form has been transferred to its human equivalent. The woman is tall, built like pornstar, has short brown hair with matching brown eyes and is completely naked.

"Please, I'll do anything. I don't want to die. I don't want to return to the Void. I've been alive for so little time and..I've not done good things, but I can change," it says, it's actually crying. I am not sure if it's due to pain, or if this is just a realistc bluff. "If you spare me, I'll follow you forever." Oh, no. Not this bullshit. "I'll even help you fight the Dark Kingdom, just please, spare me."

"No!" Luna screams. "Don't listen to it!"

"Please, I give you my word," it continues, drowning out Luna's voice. "It's just too cold. I don't want to return to the coldness. You don't know what it's like. We demons, we will do anything to survive. Anything. Good or evil means little to us when our Masters threaten us with banishing us back to the Void of our old world."

"Luna…is it telling the truth?" I ask. My voice probably sounds cracked. "Do these things even have their own will?"

Luna looks uncomfortable, looks me in the eye, and says, "Does it matter? They want to destroy humanity." It does to me. If they don't have a choice then maybe there is another way. "Can you honestly say you can change them? Do you honestly think the creature is going to change just because you spare it?"

How can I answer that without helping you justify this..murder. "This is war boy," she continues. Crimson eyes narrow. " You've chosen your side, now do your duty."

"Luna…I am not comfortable with this." My eyes harden at the cat, and it looks back at me with the same amount of steel. "You didn't tell me that the Youma were enslaved summoned creatures." I drop my twisted garbage-club onto the ground. I am not in the mood anymore. This victory is starting to taste like ash.

"What happened to being a hero?" Luna asks, her red eyes angry. "What happened to being respected by everyone? Doesn't that still mean anything to you?"

I look around and see the damage I have done. Then look back at her. "Whose respect am I getting? So far all I've managed to do is destroy public property and get myself on the wanted list." I sigh and try not to collapse onto my back. "What am I really getting from all of this?"

"A chance to save the Planet!" Luna says, looking even more mad. "A chance many would die for!"

More like they'll die period. "I am just not in the mood to kill a girl," I say. I roll off the car and land on my feet. Ami walks up and checks me for wounds. "At least we can get some information on the Dark Kingdom from her."

Luna looks angry but concedes my point. "Very well, but afterwards you will kill her." No, I won't. There is a lot you aren't telling me and I want to know the whole story. "Are we clear?"

Like hell we are. "Crystal," I answer.

I take off my dress jacket, and cover the brunette's sinful body. I want to ask her if she wants my shorts as well, since it's kind of cold out, but the demon seems to have passed out. There is a part of me that says that I am being an idiot, that showing compassion is going to kill me, that Luna is right, but then I wouldn't be who I am if I listened to the parts of me that were that selfish.

I've spent my life being hated by short sighted people who couldn't see the person underneath, the person who wanted to save them, the person who wanted their respect, their love, their admiration, and their hopes.

I just wished those people had given me the chance. Because given the chance I am sure I could have been something. Become someone, become everything they wanted me to be.

But I wasn't given a chance. I was given their hatred, followed swiftly by death.

"Is something wrong," Ami asks, looking at my eyes through the yellow plastic mask, as I pick up the Youma like some bride. "Are you crying…"

"No, I've just got something in my eye." And a stabbing pain in my chest.

.

.

I leave the demon in Dr. Mizuno's clinic, but not before leaving a Shadow Clone to watch her. I don't trust it, and for good reason. Though my intuition tells me it's not going to go around attacking anyone soon, it can still be dangerous, and take the people in the clinic hostage. I am just not willing to take that chance, at least not yet.

Ami seems to be under the impression that I am some kind of superhero, and maybe she is right. Though my total count of saving people isn't exactly impressive, so I am not so certain about my role as a Guardian of Tokyo. I mean, would a Guardian actually save a Youma? Probably not.

Luna's still trying to convince me to take care of the creature, and slips in things like "You know what would make this dinner perfect? If that Youma were dead"-yeah, real subtle.

The only upside to this incident is that Ami seems to have found some kind of spine. Not sure why, it's not like she fought a demon or anything, but she seems to be on the resolve that the Youma should be given a chance. It didn't hurt anyone after all, aside from the life zapping, but criminals have gotten off jail for worse.

So I don't feel that guilty for my actions, and hopefully Luna will come around.

"Are you ever going to return to school?"Luna asks as we walk down the street. We are more or less heading towards he Hirakawa Shrine, where people seem to be disappearing. "You've missed a lot of classes already, and you will lose your scholarship if you keep this up."

She has a point, but I have mine as well. "I have to sort out this whole Dark Kingdom business first. "Luna, That thing I faced yesterday was powerful, way stronger than the first one I fought." I stop by a nearby bus stop and look at the markers there. This was where the missing people disappeared. "Tux wasn't there last night, and I am not sure what would happen if I had to fight more than just one of those Youma."

"I am sure you could have taken them," Luna mutters. "If you actually had the intention to kill from the start." Shit, she's starting to figure me out. "Have you ever killed before now? There is so much hesitation in your attacks. You hardly ever use killing blows, and when you do they are sloppy at best."

"No, I've never killed anything till a few days ago," I answer her, gritting my teeth. "Just because I am a Ninja doesn't mean I am a killer." I know, this part doesn't make any sense. But that's Konoha for you. "There are a few Ninja in my old world that have never killed a person in their lives, or at least that's what the history books say. "

"History is written by the victors," Luna says. The lousy cat is smirking. One of these days I am going to step on her face. "Use your common sense, boy." Great, she's still pissed over the Youma incident. Women, do they ever forgive? Probably not.

"Whatever, Luna," I reply, smartly. "I also can't return because of Ami…she's heard my voice." I pause. "If I saw her the next day she would know immediately who she was talking to."

"How? You were wearing such an incredible costume," my cat says sarcastically. Oh, and I am sure you had a better idea? Would you have made me duck in the hallway to stay out of her sight? "Furthermore, you really need to train. Your moves are sloppy."

"I would train, if I had more time," I say through gritted teeth. This thing makes me so mad sometimes. Why does she have to bring up my one weakness? Probably just to piss me off. "But you seem to just take me from one enemy to the next, with no break in between."

"That's because you are, regrettably, the only one I can rely on to fight the Dark kingdom," Luna says, hotly. "Can't you see that?"

Of course I can, furball, why do you think I risk my life for no reward? You think I seriously enjoy being bashed around by psychotic demons? Think I like dressing up as a Ranger? Think I like having to explain why a Shadow Clone has to be left behind in Dr. Mizuno's clinic?

If I manage to get out of this with my cover intact, it'll be a miracle and be reward enough for this god forsaken job.

Suddenly we see a bus, and Luna nips at my feet to hide in the bushes. I do as instructed and discover our next target. It's a demon that drives a bus, which carries its victims into a wormhole in the middle of the street (I am also pretty confused why no one sees this, it's broad daylight).

"I am guessing the Hirakawa Shrine Demon is the next on our list, eh?" I tell my kitten, who is still in a bad mood even as we hide in our bush.

"Seems so," Luna says, then looks at me suspiciously from the corner of her eyes. "I just hope you have the resolve to take care of this one." She's never going to let me live it down, right? "Otherwise the fate of the world is more or less decided."

Yeah, like some teenage girl with magic powers can do better. "Whatever you say, kitty cat," I answer cheerfully with false enthusiasm. "If it lets you sleep at night, who am I to question your delusions?"

I should have expected the cat to take a bite at my ankle with those words. One of these days the blasted thing is going to give me rabies.

.

.

"What happened to her desk?" I whisper to Umino during our break. Ami seems to have taken a break to go to the washroom, or maybe just to leave the rest of her classmates. "There is a lot of graffiti on it. Did she get a new one?"

Umino shakes his head, but it's Usagi who answers for her. "No, it's not that. She's just been having a hard time talking to the other people in the class." She looks somewhat sad. The blond really has a soft heart. "I've tried to get her to join us, but she's kind of cold." No kidding, she looked about ready to step on Luna when the feline tried to call her stupid.

Umino nods his head to confirm what Usagi said, and Naru shakes her head. "You know, I don't think she has any friends in this class, and the ones who try to make friends with her just end up getting rejected." Probably because they just want to be friends with her due to homework. "Can't say I really blame them for being pissed, but graffiti on desk seems a bit extreme."

"You think?" Umino answers. "Reading Ice bitch on your desk the first thing in the morning doesn't exactly make me want to come to school, or talk to people for that matter." He rubs his chin. "Still, maybe I should try talking to her. You know, a fellow rival in the academics."

That might not be a bad idea. She seems to be more receptive to people who are already smart. Still, if Ami joins my little part-time study group, she'll have more time to find out who I am. If that happens I can say goodbye to a life that doesn't revolve around trying to guard my asshole from my cellmate. I really hope those Police capture Tux boy before going after me. They might even be satisfied they got him and stop searching for me all together.

"Guys, shut up, she's coming back in," Fat bitch says. "No, we are not inviting her in, Umino." You know fat bitch, you would look a lot more convincing if you weren't eating a bag of chips. You aren't Chouji, you just can't pull off that look.

I sigh and lean against my chair and look at Ami carefully weave her way around the students. She was shy the first time I met her, and somewhat cold. Now she seemed to have gotten a better feel for her classmates, and is even colder than she was before. Like frost or ice. Not saying that she is full out ice queen, but she doesn't have the same meekness as before.

But that doesn't matter to me. Why should I care if she's getting colder with every week she's here? Why should I care if she has no friends? What does it matter if she's happy? I am not exactly friend material, I am not exactly a hero, and I sure as hell don't care if she has a happy school life. If she wants pretty pink school days, she's going to have to work it just like everyone else.

Because I sure as hell am no knight in shining armor.

"Do you normally talk about your classmates?" Ami asks me, as I take a seat down on the desk in front of her. Her somewhat sad eyes are looking at the book she is holding. "Is that what all your topics revolve around?"

Great, she heard us. Way to go Usagi. Could the girl have been any louder? "Mostly, it's that or the strange arsons that keep appearing in Juuban," she puts her book down and looks into my blue eyes. Her slightly sad ones don't give away any slip ups. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about them would you?"

Ami's cheeks color, and she shakes her head with huge emphasis. It's actually funny. "No," she says. "Don't know a thing. I've never seen the Arson from Crystal Cram School."

I try not to slam my head against my desk. "..the newspapers haven't mentioned an Arson near that cram school," I tell her, causing the blunnette to look startled. For a smart girl, she really, really needs to get a feel for the gossip network. "I was talking about the one from two or so weeks ago before you arrived."

"Oh, right," she says looking flustered. "That's what I was talking about." Sure you were. "You just caught me off guard with that question."

No I didn't, why don't we drop the act? Eh. "Ami, what did the Arson look like?" I ask her. Her blush, her nervousness, her expression, her body language. I should have known. I should have seen it the first time she walked through the door.

I mean, how many other tanned, blond haired guys live in Juuban? "…I couldn't get a good look at his face," she says evasively. She turns back to me, and looks hopeful. "But if I had to say who he looks like…"

Her face turns so red that even I am starting to feel hot. She looks at her desk, her cold manner gone, her cheeks flushed, her head sweating, and her body language screaming "Nervous!" "…I think he looked like you."

"Yeah, I kind of figure," I say, sighing. So avoiding her for a week just made her connect the dots even faster. Smooth move Uzumaki. Why don't I just come to school wearing a target sign on my chest. "We are going to talk about this aren't we?"

She nods, tries not to blush (she fails by the way) and the class resumes.

Hopefully I won't need to make my first human kill before the day is over. Ami may be anti-social, but she's not a bad person. How many other people would let a Youma that could have killed her live in her clinic? Nurse it back to health? Keep its secret? Not many. Which makes her one of a kind.

Almost like me.

.

.

I am starting to think one of the reason pre-genin are not allowed sensitive information is because we haven't been taught to withhold it. I think this because in the time it takes for me to walk between school and the Hirakawa Shrine, Mizuno Ami manages to get me to spill pretty much all that I know about the Dark Kingdom.

It also helps that she knows how to use the internet, and has been using chatrooms and forums like crazy. Seriously, why didn't I think of that. Stupid cat! Always going off to Central(wherever that is) to get top secret information. Can't recall a time when the information came in handy.

"So in short. You are helping Luna fight some evil Queen who has an army of Youma at her disposal. These Youma drain energy, and you need to kill them while Luna searches for the Sailor Senshi who will…do more or less the same task you are doing right now?" she pauses. "Except these Sailor Senshi are supposed to be teenage girls…who have no idea that they are Saior Senshi until Luna activates their powers."

"I know. I think that cat has been hit in the head one too many times," i answer. I did find her almost beaten to death when we first met. "And that's not even the most messed up part," I finish.

"No kidding," she says, smiling slightly. Huh, what do you know? She's got a pretty charming smile. She should do that more. Would make people less wary of her. "You, an acting Knight of the Moon Court? That's rather far fetched."

"Considering how I an a Ninja, not a Knight, I don't blame you," I reply.

"Ninja? What clan?" she asks curiously. "I thought Shinobi Clans kept a tight leash around its members."

"Clan? Not sure. Maybe Uzumaki. As for Japanese Ninjas, I honestly have no idea how the system works," I say, shrugging. "Frankly, I don't care. Those guys have nothing to do with me, I have nothing to do with them."

"I see," she says. She looks like she is about to pull out a pad and take notes. I wonder if she sees me as a person, not some subject. "Can you turn invisible?"

"No."

"Do you have super speed?" she asks next. "Can you travel faster than sound?

"Not exactly."

This is beginning to sound like Luna's favorite anime Ronin Kenshin, or something. I am starting to come to the conclusion that these two are getting the impression that I am supposed to be some bloodthirsty assassin.

"Can you set up traps in seconds?" she asks. "While evading sight?"

How the hell do you pull that off? " Er, I can set up traps. Might take a second or two, I was pretty good at pranking in my old village." I was the best. "But setting up traps while being invisible, and traps that kill might be another story."

"…so basically you are more or less the average fighter," she finishes, looking somewhat confused. "With some minor Ninja skills."

I hate smart girls. They are always dead on. "Course not, I have a ton of Ninja skills!" Like body switching, Shadow Clones, Transformations, and…I'll think of something later. "I was just tired yesterday, I recently woke up from a coma." Which is true, I was pretty tired.

Maybe…that makes sense," Ami says, nodding in understanding. "But you did fairly well while injured."

I almost died. "I know, didn't I?" I say. "It's cause I am such a great Ninja." Who is not even close to Learning 1000 Jutsus. In reality, my Hokage dreams are getting farther and farther away.

In either case, Ami doesn't look so sure.

From what she saw yesterday I probably look like the most clumsy Ninja on the planet, but, again, I don't care. If she thought I was trash, big deal? Most of the Japanese here don't outright hate me, but a Gaijin isn't exactly dinner guest material.

"Is it really okay to travel with you to the Hirikawa Shrine?" she asks. "I wouldn't want to get in the way if a Youma were to attack."

"It's okay, I am just doing some investigating. Luna says it's an inside job," I say, We stop in front of the shrine and proceed to go up the stairs. "You might even be able to help me."

Ami's gloomy mood seems to lift slightly. "Help you?" she asks, though her eyes look worried. "Do you mean that?" This girl has serious insecurity issues. I should be the one begging her for help. I should be going on my knees crying for her to help me fix this Dark Kingdom mess, and to help me come up with a plan.

Instead she volunteers to assist, even if part of it is due to her Academic curiosity. She might even get a Nobel Prize on the data she collects from the Youma sleeping in her Clinic. I am not a science geek, but even I would show up for that Conference, if only to see the look of abject terror on the other scientists' faces.

"Why are you laughing?" Ami asks, looking puzzled. "Did I say something funny?"

"No just my over active imagination," I answer. Glad I still have that. Otherwise I would probably be pissed that that I don't have a girlfriend. Nothing like spending your time dreaming of your female classmates for some after school lessons.

Ami looks suspicious. The girl's got her pervert alert on. "I don't think I want to know what kind of things you imagine." She actually covers her chest with her hands. Dumb girl, that just draws my attention to them. "Keep your eyes on the stairs please."

How can I when you've just opened up my mischievous streak? "Sorry, I was looking at something behind you," I lie. "There is a crow there."

Ami turns and, behold, there is a crow there. Two crows actually. She turns back to face me, sighs, unfolds the small hands she had been holding on her chest and proceeds to walk past me. She looks embarrassed, like she did something wrong. She didn't of course, but correcting her would probably make her leave.

We make small talk while we walk up the steps, and I always stand a couple steps behind her so that I can get a quick peek at her underpants. It's light blue by the way, and there is a panda on the centre of the left but cheek area. I am not really a hardcore pervert, or anything like that, but I haven't been able to vent my sexual frustrations through my Naruko-chan or Sakura.

I am not looking for a girlfriend or anything, not really sure if I ever was, but it doesn't hurt to look. Especially when the view is nice. "We should probably hurry," Ami says, turning around. I glance away from her rear and meet her blue eyes. "The sun is about to go down."

What else is new? Fighting Youma in the Moonlight seems to be the trend around here. "No problem, I don't really have a curfew," I explain. "If you need to leave, I'll even walk you home."

She seems to consider this and nods. "Alright, that's fair," she says, then turns around. "Why don't your parents care if you don't show up before curfew? Why don't they give you a curfew?"

Because I have no parents. Because I have no guardian. Because If I were to die no one would look for a body. Because the police would just chalk up my death to some gang fight. "Because they trust me, my parents are good people," I say, giving her a smile. "Don't worry, this city isn't dangerous." If you're armed. "So no one needs to worry about me."

"Oh…okay…" she says, looking slightly dejected. "I didn't know that."

You know nothing about me. Nothing important. Nothing that can tell you what I really am. "It's okay, my parents are loving folks, so don't sweat it," I finish for her, giving her a tight smile that makes her cringe.

More and more my smiles are breaking. I just don't put in the same amount of effort as I used to.

We walk for another few minutes until she says, "My mother doesn't let me go anywhere." Then pauses. "Not without someone to chaperon."

Sounds like a smart mom. You wouldn't survive thirty seconds in any given alley. "Wow, your mom sounds unreasonable," I tell her, sounding serious. "Maybe you should talk to her? Let her know how you really feel." What a cheesy line, am I really turning into a Power Ranger? Guh, this is enough to make me suicide.

"I am not sure how," Ami says, stopping. I stop as well, since I won't be able to face her buttocks of I walk past her. It helps that the wind keeps rising up her skirt every few minutes, giving me a full blown view every few moments. "She's a bit intimidating."

Dr. Mizuno a bit intimidating? The woman is a tiger with its jaws wrapped around your head. Try talking your way around that. "I had no idea, she seemed kind and gentle." About as gentle as prison rape. "Just talk to her, maybe she might let you come home a bit later?"

She looks reluctant, but nods. "I suppose it couldn't hurt." She turns back to the shrine and looks afraid. "This place is a bit creepy."

There are crows in the sky, dead Sakura trees in the front, a dwarf chasing girls in the background, and, worst of all, a MIko who is given off an "I'll crush your penis (along with your balls) if you even look at my face" aura.

Wonder what she'll do if I look lower."This place doesn't look so bad," I shrug. "Course it could be worse."

"Could be better," Ami mumbles. "For a Shinto Shrine, it's pretty gloomy." Right, because all Shinto Shrines are like the picture perfect ones you see in textbooks.

Then, to my horror, the dark haired, purple eyed Miko, in front of us, turns and glares at me. "I am so sorry that this Shrine does not meet your eloquent expectations." Bitch, why are you looking at me like that? I wasn't even the one who insulted it. "If you have a problem with this place, you are welcome to leave."

Before Ami can say sorry, I cut her off. "Sorry, Obasan,"I say, trying to give her a charming grin. "We just got the wrong impression of what a shrine is supposed to look like."

"Liar," the Miko says, dropping the broom she is holding and walking towards us with fire in her eyes. "You're just here because of those stupid rumors."

I look at Ami, she looks back at me. "Mind explaining what you're talking about?"I ask her, acting like I have no idea. "We just came here for some charms."

The dark haired Miko glowers. "Right, I am supposed to believe that. No one comes here, not even the other Shinto Priests in this city."She points towards the temple. "But when a bunch of people happen to go missing after buying our charms, suddenly this place is swamped by the police every few days."

I gulp. I try not to look nervous at the mention of Police. My blurry wanted face is still hanging around the city and if any of the cops recognize me, I can kiss my normal middle school life good bye.

Not that I had one to start with.

Ami takes this time to interrupt. "Maybe it's an inside job," she says, reasonably. "It just seems to line up extremely well from the reports I researched." The hell is she talking about? How does a high school girl get access to classified reports? "Have there been any recent employees in the Hirakawa Shrine?"

The Miko, to my astonishment, pales. Her eyes widen, her hands shake, and her head lowers after that. "Get out," she says, not looking at us. "Please, leave."

Of course we'll leave. Not looking us in the eye when Ami asks you a simple question isn't suspicious at all. "We aren't here to cause trouble, Obasan," I say.

The Miko looks up from the ground and glowers. "Sure you aren't, and don't call me Obasan," she says, gritting her teeth. "I am still in middle school." Okay, that I didn't expect.

Ami looks nervous and I can tell I've made a mistake. "We'll be on our way," she says, making a pull at my sleeves. She hands the Miko a card. It's Dr. Mizuno's card. Smart girl. "If you need any help, any at all. Please give us a call."

"Yes, do that," I say, trying to sound sincere. "We aren't here to close down the Shrine, we aren't the police, and we don't suspect you, either. But people have gone missing, and if the trail from this place can help us find the culprit, then help us. Help us fight the forces of evil."

I really need to stop watching that show.

The lines only work if you have a homosexual robot and the Wizard of Oz to back you up.

The Miko looks thoughtful, her angry expression softens, and I notice that she is conflicted. "There is one thing that is strange." She looks reluctant to say, but she takes one look at my eye, and sees my desperation. She continues, "We have a new guy working here. He's a tall idiot with blond hair. You might have seen him when you passed by."

Sounds kinda like me. "Err, anything more descriptive?" I say, trying not to let my eyebrow twitch. I swear this better not be a joke. "Does he give off some purple aura or something like that?" She is a Miko, she might be sensitive to things like that.

The girl looks surprised. "Yes…he does." She pauses and her eyes narrow. "Who are you?"

I am tempted to pull out my mask and see her expression. "Just a defender of Justice." Great, I am starting to sound like Tux. "I help those who can't help themselves."

"You some kind of social worker?" she asks, looking at my Juuban Middle School uniform. "You look more like a delinquent to me."

"I'll have you know that Uzumaki-san is not a bad person, and is somewhat intelligent," Ami speaks up. Somewhat? Thanks a lot smarty pants. Way to boost my self esteem. "He has captured criminals many police would be hard pressed to find." Probably because the police don't really try half the time.

The Miko grits her teeth at the girl. "Did I ask you for your opinion?" She stomps over to the smaller blunette and glares. "If I wanted your opinion I would have asked."

Ami isn't back down. For some reason she isn't as shy around this Miko as she is with other people. Bizarre, truly bizarre. "I just wanted to get the record straight. You are fighting the wrong enemy." She pauses, and looks down. "We just want to help." Maybe you do, I just want to get this mission over with and sleep.

The Miko's expression freezes, softens and then hardens when she looks at me. "She can stay, but you have to leave," she sneers. I am not kidding, she actually feels proud that she gets to kick me out of the shrine. "This girl looks a lot more useful than you." Right, Ami is going to out think a Youma to death.

The blunette catches my eye and signals for me to follow her instructions. "Well we can't win'em all, I say. "Just remember, if you find anything...scream as loud as you can."

It's at that moment that we hear a whole lot of screaming and curse myself for jinxing my peaceful day.

In an instant I turn around, run down the Hirakawa Shrine stairs, and jump onto the middle of the road where two giant buses are smashing against each other. Well, it's more like one of the buses is trying to get away. The bus on the right is your standard transportation bus, it seems to have screaming passengers with a diabolic driver on the steering wheel.

The bus trying to smash it across the road is a regular bus as well. It doesn't contain any passengers inside of it. Not one person. It looks perfectly harmless, nothing special about it. No ammunition, and no giant tires or anything like that. But it does contain one thing that sets it apart from every other bus in the country.

It contains Tuxedo Mask.

"Son of a bitch!" I roar, running down the street. "Can't you make a normal entrance like everyone else?"

I look at the first bus that contains the screaming passengers, whom look moments away from getting a heart attack, and see the driver grinning. I look behind me, noticing a portal opening up and I make a quick decision that may or may not be one of the most suicidal things a guy can possibly do.

I charge towards the speeding bus like a bull.

Chakra is blasting out of my legs like a canon and I grit my teeth as I feel pieces of my toe bones shatter as they impact the road. Despite this I continue to run, despite the tears that are flowing out of my eyes I continue to look ahead, despite the horrible pain I am going to be in, I don't turn away. Because people need me, because I can save these people, and I am the only one who can do it.

I put as much power through my body as possible and reach out for every inch of Chakra I have in my reserves. I go further than I've ever gone in my life and reach down for energy that no longer feels pure, no longer feels blue, and no longer feels like its my own. I reach for a Chakra much darker, much more sinister, and much more powerful.

And with it I blast down the street like a rocket, screaming my head off as my energy pours through my body like a hydraulic pump, making me feel stronger, making me feel faster, and possibly shortening my life in the process.

Behind me dust and broken road scatter, and in front of me is a Bus traveling faster and faster. You think I don't have a shot? You think this is crazy? You think I am about to become road kill?

Think again.

Because when I get to the bus, I don't try and stop it with brute force. No, I smash my feet into the pavement. Use as much Chakra as I can to try and literally stick to the ground beneath the concrete, and hold out my hands in front of me like a sumo wrestler.

Before you tell me I am about to try and stop the bus this way, I'd like to point out that you are dead wrong.

"Die!" I hear the driver scream. "Say hi to the road for me!"

Never! With my entire body glowing red with power I bend my knee, tighten all the muscles in my body, look at the front of the bus, wait for it to come an inch In front of me.

And pick the front bumper off the ground.

Causing me to get pushed back, while my spiked feet break the very road as I travel back for the next fifty or so meters. I keep screaming as blood flies into the air, my blood, and my fingers feel like they are broken. They probably are, but I don't relent because slowly, eventually, and with great pain the bus eventually stops to a halt. During this time I don't let the front wheels touch the ground, not once, not even when they spin and spin like a cyclone.

"What? Impossible!" the demon screams. "Why have we stopped?"

Simple. "The bus is front wheel drive, bitch!" I roar, as my body starts to lose control of the immense power I've pulled out from my very core. "This is it, this is the end for you, Youma! Say good by-,"

It is exactly that moment that the bus driven by Tuxedo Moron smashes onto the back of the bus, forcing me to drop the front of the bus, duck under it as the front large tires make impact on the ground, scream in pain as my back is scraped by the bottom of the bus as it blasts past me (luckily none of the wheels touch me), and cry murder at the incompetant Idiot Mask

"No!" he screams from his drivers' seat. "You weren't supposed to try that!"

The bastard sees what he's done, stops his bus with a screech, backs up the bus to where my body lay scraped and broken on the road, takes a leap, smashes through the bus window (He's got a serious drama problem), lands on where I am crying (I almost got run over by a bus, fuck off!), slings me over his shoulders, and leaps back into the school bus.

But not before Ami and the Miko manage to run through the school bus door, jump into the passenger seat, and scream at Tuxedo Mask to "Follow that Demonic bus!"

And he does, instead of healing me the bastard takes the wheel, takes a look at the two chicks next to him, looks at my bleeding body losing blood as I lay on the bus floor, nods his head, and chases after an enemy I almost captured.

My vision is turning black . I used too much energy. I was afraid of this and my worst suspicions were confirmed just a moment ago. I have gotten sloppy, I am so far out of shape that it isn't a joke. I normally do not have to use the red chakra in my body that I have a hard time controlling, I usually stick to the one that I normally have access to.

The Red chakra, or at least I like to call it red chakra, is violent, chaotic, powerful, and uncontrollable. I've only ever used it a handful of times in my life, and that is only after I've used up the Blue Chakra in my body that I normally use.

It also comes out in times of extreme stress and pain, and I can only recall one time it has ever came out in full bloom like this.

"He doesn't look good," the Miko says. "I don't think he's going to make it." You would love that wouldn't you?"

"We need to get him to a hospital!" Ami shouts. Glad someone cares if I live or die. "Is that where you are headed?"

"Yes, hold on," Tuxedo Mask shouts. He makes the bus go even faster and the bus is shaking uncontrollably as it hits speed bumps after speed bumps. What kind of route is Tux taking? The suicide highway? "I am going to smash through a pole booth. Duck!"

The girls fall to the floor as the glass bus window shatters as it makes impact on the Toll both bar. Fortunately the bar breaks off its hinges as well. Makes sense, you just can't stop a speeding bus with a highway Toll stop.

"Girls, how is he?" Tux asks. I can see him drive like a maniac, as he breaks through stop signs, intersection blocks, walls, rails, and lanes. "Does he have a pulse?"

"Yes," Ami says. "But it's weak. How far is the hospital from here?"

"Far, too far!" he shouts. He ducks as a few pylons smash through the remains of the window. "But I am cutting through some constructing bridges, so we might make it."

Constructing bridges? Why do I not like the sound of that?

"Damn it! I don't know what's going on! Can someone explain why I just saw a Youma drive a bus full of screaming passengers?" the Miko shouts. "And how the hell did this Yankee pick up the front of a bus off the ground with his bare hands?"

My vision continues to darken and I want to tell her that it's because of Chakra, but I am losing consciousness too fast. This isn't right. I shouldn't be out of the fight, they need me, without me those people in the other bus are doomed.

I can't let them die. "No, don't take me to the hospital," I croak. I try to stand but Ami pushes me back. She looks worried. "Are they still in your sight?"

The bastard turns back to the road, "Yeah, I can still see them, but you're not going to survive much longer if you don't get those wounds looked at." He speeds up, and the Miko holds onto the bus bars. "But your conscious..that's good."

"I can stay…conscious for…a bit longer," I say, my voice cracking. "I..need to get this cut…fixed…I'll be alright if someone does..that." I can hardly talk. I am losing so much blood.

"Then there is only one thing to do," the Tuxedo bastard says, sighing. He looks at the Miko and points to her. "Hold the wheel."

"What!" she yells. "Are you crazy?" She pauses, looks at who she is talking to, cringes, frowns, and sighs. "Never mind."

As soon as the man-hater has got her shaking hands on the wheel, things start to look worse, since the bus is breaking through fences upon fences, while the Miko screams her lungs off.

Of course my attention isn't on the banshee.

No, it's on the Phantom of the Opera, who stands in front of me, looking like he is not in some banged up school bus that's about to crash into a building.

"Don't worry, kid," he says, holding his large white gloved hands in front of him like he's about to do surgery. "You'll make it out of here alive."

His head tilts down, his eyes harden and ,with the most serious expression I have ever seen on a person, he tells me, "You'll be fine, I won't let you die." And this is the part that makes me want to cry, this is when I realize how truly screwed up this world is, this is the part when Tuxedo Mask admits what he does in real life, because the next moment he smiles and says, "I'm a Doctor."

.

.

* * *

Please Review: Thanks for all your reviews so far. Keep sending, and I'll keep writing in this wicked fast pace. Exam time is here, so I can't answer reviews now! I'll get to them when I have time. Aren't updates better? Wouldn't you rather read the next chapter?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Sailor Moon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five **

The Last Senshi

* * *

Landing on a bus full of screaming civilians is annoying. Most of them think I am the bad guy, and one of them gets the bright idea to throw their wallet, thinking that I'm there to rob them. It might be because I am wearing a piece of black cloth to hide my identity. If these guys were worried that their driver was insane, they now have some blond hijacker to worry about. Tuxedo Mask is driving the bus behind me and the two girls look at my back anxiously. Probably because the caped crusader took about six minutes to stitch it up with some makeshift supplies he found on the bus. Good thing there was a first aid kit around or I would more or less be a goner at this point. Still I can be a goner just the same if I don't stay focused and get the driver to stop.

When I see that we are about to crash into a nearby Tokyo street I get the impression that I don't need to.

The bus runs into a row of cars parked outside of the arcade, and it slows down before it smashes into the place front first. The people inside the bus are literally flying out trying to get away from the now transformed demon that is coming out of the glass window on the back of the vehicle. The thing has a nice green body, but its face is ugly as sin.  
I still don't understand why they couldn't get the complete package. Seems like such a waste to have such huge boobs, and then have a mouth full of fangs to turn off any wanting guys.

"So you've followed me all this way?" the thing drawls. It extends its claws and I can see its body tensing and coiling with muscles. "You must be the Ninja Mask."

"Ninja Mask?" I ask. "Is that what the Dark Kingdom is calling me?"

The thing smiles showing me just how twisted its teeth is underneath that green mouth. "Not just the Dark Kingdom."

Before I get a chance to reply it runs down the street and almost spears me into a wall. I manage to flip to a nearby lamppost and watch it run up the post to meet me head on. I flip out of the way from another swipe and run down the street. I try to avoid the crowds of people who are running out of the arcade including Usagi, some blond guy named Matoki, and Umino.

For reasons that make me mad Usagi takes this chance to hide behind a nearby car with her two boys in tow and they watch my battle. I want to tell them to get out of here before things get ugly but I have a feeling they won't listen. So instead of focusing on them I create another Shadow Clone and the two of us charge the Youma. Tuxedo Mask is watching out for any of the creature's allies and the girls are trying to herd people away from the fight.

The blue skinned demon is currently crouching in the middle of the street, where cars are smashing into each other to avoid hitting her, and is gathering dark power around herself. I flinch as some of the tendrils of black energy almost touch me, but ignore it since I've felt worse come from the pit of my belly. The creature grins when it has enough power and speeds down the street making it rain ash at the sheer velocity of its charges.

I channel Chakra into my arms and legs and charge at her with a knife in my hand and slash at its hands. It grabs my arm and tries to flip me to the ground but I reverse it and send a knee into its guts. It doubles over and I make a brutal punch to its face. It's down the next instant and I kick it while it's on the ground and into the arcade window. The glass breaks and I spear the beast into one wall, then another, then another.

People are screaming in the background at my sheer brutality, but I don't relent. This thing almost ran me over, this thing forced me take stitches without any kind of pain killer, and this thing almost killed people with its driving. Out of all the enemies I have had to face this one was the one that almost got away, and put more people in danger than the other two combined.

"It's here, look out!" Tuxedo Mask shouts. "That thing is just a puppet!"

I turn to see the creature that is barely standing and send a fist at its face. I am so angry right now, so furious at what this thing is forcing me to do and every blow I hit is a killing blow. Luna is right; I can't fight with hesitation. Every move I make has to count, every strike I hit it with has to land, and even if these things are enslaved I have to give it my all to take it down.

There is the chance that it will give up at the last second and that is exactly what I want. I want to force it to yield, to bend to me, and I can't do that unless I beat the living black shit out of it. "This is for my back!" I say, sucker punching it as it gets up. It smashes through another wall and tries to get up. "And this is for the people you tried to zap!" With another fist it's downed and I don't think it is going to get up.

I feel relieved. I did it. This fight is over. The demon was not as strong as the second demon, not even as strong as the first demon, and it didn't take long. But what did Tuxedo Mask mean about puppet? I turn to see what he means and I try not to clench my fist till it bleeds. This is because the Puppet Master is here and he comes in the form of the tall blond that the Miko talked about earlier. He looks pissed, looks out for blood, and I can see power in him that I have never seen on these beasts before.

"So you are the one destroying my operations," he says. The two girls are clutched on each of his hands. "Strong aren't you?"

Not really. "Yes, I am," I say, limping towards him. I hope my back stitches hold. "You're about to see how strong if you don't let the two go."

He doesn't back down. "We'll see," he makes to crush the girl's necks but two roses immediately fall into his hand. He screams and rolls out of the way as an extending cane nearly impales him. "What the fuck!"

Nice. Maybe the Doctor has his moments?

"Did you just throw…roses at me?" he asks, looking confused. "How exactly do you plan to defeat…never mind." He looks at me and sneers. "You will die."

Not the first time I've heard this threat since I've come to this world but his seems to have a bit more command in it. Like he expects me to just keel over and die. No matter, I dodge a bolt of lightning he sends my way and throw some stray nails that I pick off the ground as this building starts to collapse. Some of the nails hit, most of them don't and I can see Tuxedo Mask running down from his position to grab the girls from me.

He nods his head and runs out while I look at my opponent. This one here is a fighter, he is built like a tank and I can't help but feel slightly outmatched since elemental energy is surrounding his body. He looks at the ceiling and throws something at it, shards I think, and slowly the shards fall down and try to impale me. I flip to the side and even grab a few, throwing it back at his face. He easily catches it, grins, and charges it with energy. Slowly the shard extends to resemble a sword and uses it to try and clean me in half. I get out of the way as he teleports to my side and move out again as he teleports from below. I hate it when people do that. There were Ninja back home who could instantly transport as well, but this guy's version is a little faster. It is much more instant and I don't see him use a single seal to accomplish this task.

As the arcade continues to fall apart I look and see a familiar figure crawl out of some of the rubble. She seems to have been hiding underneath one of the game machines because only someone of her size could possibly have been there. Not wasting any time I race to meet her and sling her over my shoulder, and get a quick scratch and a huff.

"Only you, Uzumaki," Luna says. "Only you could destroy Central Command."

"What the hell is that?" I ask.

"It's where I get our information to fight the Dark Kingdom," she says. The cat looks at the destroyed machine sadly. "Though I don't think we are ever going to get any data from it ever again."

I shrug and flip over onto another machine as a wave of black energy tries to destroy everything in its path. "We've done okay so far," I say, trying not to scream as some of the stitches in my back start to collapse and the broken bones in my arms start to heal itself with quick cracks. "We'll make it out of this alive."

Luna looks at the angry man in front of us. "I am not so sure about that." She narrows her eyes. "I think I've seen him before…he's strong. Too strong, that's all I can remember."

I grunt and grab something to shield us from the shards he sends our way. The black spikes that surround him start to thicken and change shape as he continues to build energy around his body. The spikes are now charging with lightning and the black energy is starting to cyclone around him like a twister. Whoever he is, he has energy to spare and I am barely running on Blue Chakra. I look up to see a hole in the roof and jump through it. Tuxedo Mask has gotten the girls to another floor, or possibly out of the Arcade altogether so I don't have to hold back as much. Even if there are people here I can't afford to hold back, this guy is no demon, he is something else. There isn't any Youkai coming off him, but there is something much more controlled.

As I try to make my escape out of the building a blast alerts me to duck and I see two other demons jump out and try to trap me. I take a fist at one of them, and my knees slams into the other. They immediately get up and try to apprehend me, but I don't let them. Instead I switch with a nearby spike and it impales itself halfway while trying to catch my fleeing body. The second one pauses to help its friend out and I take that chance to run up the ceiling, come down, and take a slice at its neck.

The tall blond from before bursts out from the floor and has his sword ready to cut me in half and I try and see if there is anything I can use to deflect him. Finding none I groan and look at the nearby window. In an instant I pull a Tuxedo Mask and make the glass scatter as I leap onto the floor and smash my knee caps onto the pavement. I try not to cry as the pain goes up my legs and reach down for more of the Red Chakra that I had used earlier.

"What are you doing?" Luna asks, coming out from inside my jacket. I have been keeping her there all this time. This way she wouldn't fall off. "I can sense evil energy? What is that? Is that the Red Chakra you've been telling me about?"

I nod but I don't say anymore. I use the Red to make myself stronger and try not to pass out from the pain. The two demons from earlier jump out from the window and land on their hind legs, they take one look at my form and are about to attack. They don't when the front of the building explodes and the tall blond man from before walks out covered in dust. He smiles and teleports to where I am standing and smashes my head into the pavement. Luna runs away and hides under a nearby car, I can hear a sound of something cut air, and see Tuxedo Mask has sent another hail or roses at the juggernaut. The man flips over and even catches one of the roses, only to drop it as his hands start to bleed from the sharp spikes.

He glares at Tuxedo Mask and sends a bolt of lightning to the batman-wannabe and Tuxedo Mask pulls a Darth Vader and manages to deflect the energy by twirling his cane like some kind of windmill. The blond man does not relent and sends a hail of black shards at the bastard, and the guy literally covers himself with his cape like Spawn and deflects every last one of the sharp objects. He then opens his cape, pulls out his cane like a sword, and charges down into the fight towards the two demons.

I take this as my signal to switch myself with a nearby piece of broken building and smash the giant's head in. He bashes onto the ground and tries to get up but I kick him in the chest, making him groan in pain. I rear my feet back, put Chakra through it, and slam it into his kidney. He yells and flies into a nearby pole. I try not to cry as I feel the broken bits of my feet and limp towards him. Unlike the Youma, this thing is somewhat human. Meaning that he is probably a Noble of the Dark Kingdom. These guys are the big bosses and from what Luna has told me about the Nobles, they can be powerful if you aren't careful. I don't want to have to fight this guy in his full power, and I am pretty sure I can't take them when they are that way. Instead I have to keep at it and make sure it is weakened.

The Noble struggles to get up and grins manically. "Very, very strong," he says. "I could use a man like you in my army."

He stands up and I can see the wounds I have impacted on him start to fade away. He has some kind of healing factor like me, only his is much more instant. This isn't good. He leers at Tuxedo Mask who is taking care of the two weaker demons, and then has his eyes set on Ami and the Miko hiding behind nearby telephones polls.

"Strange company you keep though," he admits. "So human…"

"I am human," I say.

Trying to stay conscious. I am at my wits end. No Chakra. No bones left intact on my feet or fingers. All I have left is my natural reflexes and the Red. I can't use the Red. I could barely control it the last time. "Come and get me," I say, gesturing for him to attack. "I'll send you bastards back to the shit hole you crawled out of."

"I am an Earthling, idiot," he says. "It is the Moon Kingdom that needs to return to where it came from."

He does have a point. If the Dark Kingdom is really the Earth Army, I am probably fighting the wrong side. The problem is the correct sight is employing Youma and Youma aren't exactly friends of humanity. Had things been a bit different I could probably picture myself fighting with these guys against the Sailor Senshi, wherever the hell they might be. I look at Luna who is glaring at the man and shake my head.

"It doesn't matter," I finish. "I usually go with the losing one." I grin and switch myself with a falling brick. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

I create two clones and the three of us try and attack the man, but he manages to teleport behind us and turns one of my clones to smoke. He charges up energy bolts and hurls them at Ami and the Miko, causing my other clones to switch with the girls. This is what he wants because the next instant he has the two in his grasp and looks at me.

"Join me, or the two die," he says."I don't want to kill your precious girlfriends."

"I have nothing to do with him," the Miko says. "And my name is Rei!"

I don't understand why she just gave that piece of info away, but I don't care. I grit my teeth and pull out the Red. The Red Chakra starts to surround my feet and I feel my mind start to lose it. "Let them go, or else," I growl. "Or else I will kill you."

His eyes narrow. "I'd like to see you try." He sends a bolt of black electricity through the girls and the two scream. I scream as well and charge at him, only for a few shards to pierce my flesh. I don't care. I pull out 1/6th of the Red Chakra. I don't care if I lose my mind; I don't care if I black out and wake up to find nothing. I don't care if I lose every bit of my sanity I have as I take on the Red Chakra. I can't let the two die, I have dragged them into this, and I will get them out.

While the black energy surrounds them and they scream something amazing happens. Their foreheads start to glow with power and I look at my cat watch them in amazement. This is what I've been looking for. Without a doubt the expression on the cat's face tells me that I have found them. I have found the Sailor Senshi and they are going to die in the next few seconds.

Screaming and pulling out the rest of the diabolical energy I feel someth form in the back of my ass, and something else form in my gums. Fangs, sharp deadly fangs are coming out. I roar as my whisker marks get longer and feel my eyes change. They must be becoming sharper, much crueler, and much more powerful, because the next instant I feel like doing nothing but tearing this man in front of me apart. They have pushed me to this point. They have forced me to rely on an energy that I don't believe in using. A dark part of my body that I have always wanted to avoid. But now looking at the two girls who look at me with both fear and hope, I have to use it. I have to use it to kill this man, and I will not hesitate.

I blast through the air and spear him. Making him let go of the two girls he was holding, and even he looks surprised at my sheer speed. With my left hand that seems to be covered in red flames I smash it into his face and miss. The floor literally breaks from the impact and he vanishes and comes up from behind to stab me in the back. The power from my Red Chakra sends him tumbling away into the sky and I coil my muscles to pounce at him while he is up there.

Then something stabs me in the side and I see the two demons from earlier, both of them have a dozen or so thorns covering their critical points and I can see Tuxedo Mask on the side of the street bleeding heavily while he clutches his chest. The bastard tried to hold them off, but in the end he just didn't have the kind of power needed to keep at it.

I don't bullshit around and give the two a powerful hook of fists, sending the hurling through two different buildings. I turn around to see a giant black ruby spinning in the air and see the man holding it. He grins and sends it down towards the place I am standing and I meet the Ruby head on and smash my fist of power at it. Both my hand and the ruby break but I don't stop there. I jump onto the side of a building and push myself to meet the floating man in the sky.

He dodges me, and I create a Shadow Clone to finish him off. He manages to destroy it, but not before I have the time to make a kick to the back of his head, sending him falling into the ground, making a crater around him. The two demons from earlier have sent double long distance attacks at me. One with small senbon like needles and the other with wind bullets. Luckily I switch myself with something and they don't hit.

I feel so powerful. I feel so godlike and I am so addicted to this rush. I can destroy everyone and everything to the ground. I should have pulled out this power before. I should have surrendered to it. But then I see the shaking form of the girls who look at me with apprehension and see my reflection on a nearby busted car. I look like a monster.

I feel sick.

"Attack at once!" the man screams. "Now!"

They try and dog pile with their gravity defying moves and I turn around and roar my frustration. I am angry at myself, angry at these people, angry at Luna, and angry that I couldn't fight with my own strength. The roar sends their attack back at them and a part of the street is blasted to the side. I turn to see Usagi and her friends look at me with fear and run away, far away.

Tuxedo Mask is limping on his cane and is looking at me carefully. "What…are you?"

I don't know. This isn't something normal Ninjas can do. "Stay back!" I shout. I am losing control, my vision is turning red. "I am losing it."

My world starts to spin and I can feel the power try and take hold of my body. I try to fight in back but I've used too much. This thing is going to swallow me whole and I've fallen into its trap. Desperately I try to keep from attacking everything in sight and I see Ami and Rei walk out from a nearby pole.

"Uzumaki-san, what is happening?" Ami asks. "Your body is changing…"

"I don't think he's human," Rei says, "I don't know how to change him back."

I fall to my knees and try not to attack them. Every part of me wants to bathe in their blood. They continue to come forward and I continue to sink. I hate this. I hate feeling so helpless. But I have to make sure not to hurt them, I have to make sure to hurt myself, only by disabling my body can I make sure that I don't kill them.

As I try to suppress the power around me, the demons and the tall man teleport in front of me and perform something that makes me scream. I can feel my energy being drained and I try not to lose whatever power I have on my mind. These idiots are going to take away my human energy and only leave this evil power behind. Once that happens I am going to go out on a killing spree and turn everyone and everything to ash.

"Luna, I can't hold on!" I yell. "Run! Run before I kill you all!"

The Dark Kingdom laughs and continues to drain me, but then something happens. I look up to see the two girls from earlier swathed in blue and red light. It isn't just any blue and red light. It's like something out of the power rangers. They are literally basking in it and I can see powerful elements wrap around them as if it were clothing. Luna slams into the two girls and something comes out of her stomach. Or at least I hope it's her stomach.

Truth is two metal sticks came out of nowhere when she did a flip in the air.

The two girls catch it and Luna is telling them something and I can literally see the bones of everyone around me as the killing intent to murder everything in the area builds to the point where I feel like doing nothing but turning everyone into food. To sink my fangs into them and to rip their body parts to tiny segments, if only to swallow the entrails whole while I am doing this.

While I am feeling this the two enemies at my side have no idea and they continue as if it were business as usually to have someone like me pinned to the ground. They don't bother with the two girls and their attention is focused on me, but I can't help but see the strange aura that surrounds them. Ami is turning blue and she shouts something about makeup and her body is literally being wrapped around in spiral of blue water colored light. For an instant I think I see her naked, and then see the water wrap around her and clothe her in something that I will describe in just an instant.

I turn to the side and see the same thing has happened to Rei. Strange light has incased her body and she is wrapping herself in some kind of ringed fire. Her clothes are literally burned off. Her long dark hair cascades down to her back and the red energy turns into some kind of cloth. Star shaped ear rings start to appear on each lobe, and I can see delicate make up being applied to her face.

Both of the girls are now transforming more or less at the same rate and they both seem to wear identical tiaras on their head. Luna is jumping up and down in excitement and I can't help but feel like murdering the feline for ignoring me twitching on the ground. A jet of powerful energy comes off from their backs and I see that the clothes made of ice and fire are slowly turning into skirts and those skirts are joined by fukus.

Ami is wearing a blue styled fuku while Rei has one colored in red. They look at each other and measure themselves. Even as I feel myself become nothing but an animal I can't help but feel a horrible boner start to appear on my pants? The two girls are literally revealing everything to the world. I can even see a nipple or two through their clothes and I wonder if the Sailor Senshi were supposed to be mass scale perverts because no man their right mind would fight these two without feeling their penis harden like a steel rod.

"General Jedite, I think you should look behind you," one of the demons say. "We have trouble."

The General turns around and his face is priceless. He looks totally confused at his situation and even glowers, then curses. He says something about Warriors of the Moon Kingdom and charges Ami and Rei. The two demons look like they are about to follow but the Red Chakra around me morphs into a tail and wraps around the two. I stand up and try not to go berserk. Of course I fail the next instant when another tail comes from my back and takes a swipe at the two demons, almost cutting them in half.

They drop and I look ahead to see Ami and Rei fight the Jedite character. I go on all fours and charge at Jedite and he turns around and teleports. I fall on Rei and Ami and feel a set of breasts as my hands begin grabbing onto both pair, and let go as I feel Jedite's bolt of power come toward us. The bolt hits the two senshi and they are sent through a wall of a nearby building. I grown and crouch like some kind of beast with my two tails in the air and charge at Jedite.

Tuxedo Mask seems to have gotten better because he is leaping into the sky sending dozens of roses at the flying General, and I take that time to create a few clones to mimic my movements and make it more difficult for Jedite to take a chunk out of my flesh. Jedite smiles and opens some kind of portal and another few demons come out. Two of them are beautiful women with a snake bodies, while the other is an angel with green skin. The serpent goes after me, and rolls onto a ball and come out slashing like a maniac.

It literally flies into a pole and knocks itself out, and Tuxedo Mask has his hands full with the other demon. Jedite runs to the ground and charges me head on with a ball of black power. I create a wave of power with my tail and scream in agony as the power threatens to peel the skin off my ass. This power literally takes a chunk of the street off since the tail is like some kind of killing wave and Jedite is forced to use the rest of his power to block it. When the dust clears I see that his arms and legs have been smoked and he is gritting his teeth in pain.

"Give up, I can keep summoning more and more demons," he says. "I won't stop till you are dead. Ninja Senshi!"

I don't bother to correct him and run on all fours and pounce him into a nearby fountain. I try and drown him with my bare hands but feel something tug at my neck. I look up to see a General dressed in the same suit as Jedite and growl at him with hate. This general is even taller than Jedite and has long wavy brown hair growing down to his back.

Something like stars appear in my vision and I am blasted back through the street, as my red chakra surrounds and corrodes my body. I look at my hand and see the flesh on it is turning black .I can't keep this up. I look up at the passed out Jedite and the person carrying him. The tall man frowns and gestures for the demons to come, but they are both knocked out so he just looks at me, then the two Sailor Senshi who are groggily limping out from their slumber.

"Sailor Senshi," he says carefully. "It seems you have awakened." He smiles at them. It wasn't a kind smile. "I thought you were all dead, but it seems that you were just waiting, just as we have been waiting."

Ami and Rei look at each other, then look at me for instructions. The two carefully limp to where I am standing, and I try to ignore how fantastic they look in those uniforms. Ami has a slim body, while Rei is a bit more filled out. Both look proportional to some kind of cover girl model, and both have the legs to back it up. I can see up their skirts from my slightly crouched angle, and the two don't make a comment on that. Ami seems more tired than me and she leans against my shoulder, while Rei leans against my other shoulder. I may not like the Miko, but she looks dead tired and that transformation into a Senshi must have worn her out. Not to mention that being punched through a wall during a first transformation must have taken something out of them.

"You girls okay," I growl. "Can you still fight?"

Ami nods her head, but is still leaning. "Yes, I think we can," she turns to Rei. "Is that right?'

Rei grins. "What do you think? This bastard almost got my Shrine shut down."

The two, with a final effort, stand on their own two feet and Tuxedo Mask manages to leap to our side, only to fall to the ground clutching his chest, which is spewing blood onto the street floor. He looks up at us and smiles. "I am okay," he says. "Let me sleep for a second, I'll fight along with you later."

Then he passes out and I make a clone to get him out of the area. The guy has done enough for today. I look at the other General who has teleported Jedite out of the area and he frowns. "Jedite was a fool for underestimating you, Ninja." He smiles at the girls. "And he has forced the Sailor Scouts out. How idiotic the man can be, or how incompetent… I truly hope Queen Beryl puts him in his place."

He looks back at me who is now crouched on the ground like a predator. "Calm yourself, I am not here to fight." He smiles. "I am here to watch…someone very interesting has been asking about you."

Before I can say another word he looks at the sky and I can see that the final light of the Sun has gone down. The stars of the night align and I can see a small portal start to form near Tokyo Tower. A beam of green energy comes out of the portal and something floats down from it. Ami and Rei grab onto my shoulder, and I think they can also feel the terrible power this person General turns to me and shakes his head. "I don't know what you have done to wake the Guardian of Time from her slumber, but I pity you, Youma." Before I can ask what he meant by the Youma comment he disappears and leaves the demons behind.

Rei holds onto my shoulder an points to the person on top of Tokyo Tower. "I am not sure what that is, but I think it's after you." Great, another member of the Obvious Club. She looks worried. "I think you should run." Two crows come down from the sky and land on her shoulder. She talks with them, they chatter with her, and then fly off to see our new enemy.

"Ami, take Rei and Tux boy out of here," I tell her. She looks a bit wary. "Do it, I can take care of this."

"Are you certain?" she asks. "You look…almost dead."

I smile grimly." Thanks, I needed that."

She takes Rei, whose leg is busted and I get a good view of their matching rears as they leave. Ami has a slightly wider bottom while Rei's curves to the top. Both of them are top notch so I have no complaints on that department. Meanwhile Luna is by my side giving her usual speech about defeating the enemies of the Moon Kingdom. "I don't like this. I don't like this at all," she says. "I don't sense any evil energy but…what power!"

That power then fazes out and I cover my eyes as the top of Tokyo Tower blasts away and a figure teleports in front of us. The dust is still in the air so I can't get a view of that person, and I back away as a powerful sonic energy tries to trip me on my way out of a small drainage hole on the ground. The sonic energy is calming my Red Chakra and I can feel my power starting to vanish. Luna looks at me with dread, and sees that my power is slowly fading. She takes one look at the dust with the walking figure and runs like the coward she is. I actually grab a piece of rock from the ground and throw it at her, and it hits. Before I can laugh that I finally hit my cat, a blast of black spherical energy hits me on the chest and I am sent skidding through the street with my stitches opening up in full.

I slowly get up and try not to let the pain on both of my legs hold me down. I can't afford to be sloppy here, just like before this person is someone of immense power. They tend to be ruthless when it comes to do battle. The person is almost out of the ash and I can see green knee high boots. Then I see the leg and I can tell that is a girl. Then I see the girl's stomach and I can tell she is an attractive girl. Finally I can see the rest of her body as she steps out of the dust and my breath hitches.

I hate to say this. I really, really hate to say such cheesy lines but…She is a Kami.

I've never seen a Goddess before but if I had to put it into words, then she would fit the description. She stands nearly seven feet tall in height, has skin the color of dark chocolate, and has the body proportions of a fitness model. Her breasts are not overly big but given her size and ratio they would have to have been about the same volume as a pair of watermelons in full ripeness.

Unlike Ami and Rei who were a fuku designed for children, she wers one that was so tight that I could see both sets of her nipples. I try not to let my hard on show as I get a decent view of her panties, which are as dark green as the rest of her uniform. Her dazzling red orbs catch onto my view and she does not look amused that I am developing something very inappropriate in my pants. Fortunately she does not make a comment and just keeps stepping out of the dust to inspect the area.

Her pink lips part into a sigh and she glares at the area. "I've been searching for you for days," she taps her feet in annoyance. "Even when I broke your legs, you still managed to escape me, Youma."

"I don't know what you are talking about," I say, feeling weary. "We've never met before."

She smiles. "No, not you. I am talking about your other counterpart that tried to steal your body when you died. The one who tried to fly through the Gates of Time and Space to return to a Reality where it wasn't dead."

I don't know what to say to that. "Okay," I look at the area around me. "Well, I am me now."

She looks at me carefully. "Maybe, but I can't take that chance," she says. "You'll have to forgive me. I do what I must to protect our Universe from the enemies of Chaos."

I look at Luna who is glaring at the Evil Senshi and frown. "I think you are an enemy," I say. "Luna doesn't seem to like you."

The woman laughs and her expansive bosom bounces with each chuckle. "Luna can barely remember her own name, let alone me." Then she frowns. "Forgive me, but this is my job. I would give you an explanation, but it would be lost on you."

She points her large scepter at me and screams, "Pluto Deadly Scream!"

A giant black hole floats through the ground and smashes into my chest, I role to the floor and get up before she drops to the ground next to me, and kicks her long foot into my stomach. I fly into the air and crash into a power line, but not before being shocked from some currents. I manage to switch myself with a nearby shrapnel, and it manages to strike Pluto when she thought the shrapnel was me. I get up and run down the street and dodge more attacks from the girl and can't help but notice that the particles in the area are gathering to where she is. The girl is literally bending the world around her, and I really am curious what exactly she is. "Luna, is she an enemy?" I shout. "Should I fight her?"

"Yes, certainly!" she says. She jumps onto my shoulder as I run by her. "I don't recall any Sailor Pluto."

I grunt and leap to a nearby building, and flip over a large ball of energy. I then turn around as I see her teleport in front of us, and flip to the side and she uses her scepter as a spear. The scepter misses and then turns around in mid air and comes back to her. She latches onto it, spins it in her hand and then leaps into the sky to jab me in the back. I dodge it, and she kicks me full on by back, causing me to roll to the ground.

She doesn't give me the chance to get up and instead tries to stamp the spear into my gut as I am rolling, but Luna manages to jump off my shoulder and take a slash on her face. "Luna, let me kill him," she yells. "You are supposed to find Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon is supposed to be your partner!"

"Liar," Luna shouts. "There is no Sailor Moon! There are four Sailor Senshi and two of them I already found." Thanks for taking the credit, Luna.

Pluto grimaces. "Oh, poor delusional Luna." She shakes her head. "I forget how you are in this point in time."

She looks at me and glares. "This is all your fault." She leers. "If Luna hadn't found you, things would be alright."

You mean Luna being beaten to death would have been a good thing? The universe works in mysterious ways. I dodge the attack she sends at me but I can't use any of my Chakra. I don't have any left and something about her is draining the Red Chakra from my body, it is as if she controls a black hole or a void, or something.

She teleports to my front and punches me in the face, getting me rolling on the ground again, and I stop and flip back when she tries to send another black sphere at my direction. I look around for anything I can use and see a rod nearby. I use it to block an attack she sends out and am flung back into a building. She chases me down building steps and I roll down it and hit my head on something. I feel like blacking out but I can't because she has used her scepter like a spear once again.

It misses and makes a hole on the wall and I use that hole to make my escape and she follows. Luckily there is no one left for me to be wary of since all the people have run away but I know that the cops will be here within five minutes. I need to finish this off now. This time the cops will come in greater numbers, and they will be armed to the teeth. The Senshi must realize this since she isn't in a rush to finish me off. She is much calmer, much more careful than the enemies from the Dark Kingdom. It is like she knows that she is going to win and this is just a delay of the inevitable. Too bad she has no idea who I am and what I am capable of since I defy the impossible and go beyond reason when it comes to fights.

"You are cornered," she says stepping up to the middle of the street. I can hear sirens ringing in the back but she doesn't seem bothered. "My apologies but I will have to correct my mistake. I was hoping that you could be spared your true fate."

"True fate, I ask?" What are you talking about?

"The demon inside of you will take you over," she says sadly. Her expansive breasts move from side to side as she does this. "That is your destiny. Still, I, Sailor Pluto, thank you for your effort in aiding Luna. Now with you gone she will be forced to find Sailor Moon and what should have come to pass will occur."

"But the Moon isn't a planet." I stand up with my shaky legs. "This doesn't make any sense. The Senshi are planet powered."

Pluto smiles. "Yes, that is correct." She points her gun/rod at me. "Sailor Moon is more than just what she appears, and when Luna finds her, the real battle will begin."

Moon, Sailor Moon. Luna didn't tell me anything about this Senshi. If Pluto is right and she does exist, what does it mean? Then what about the Moon Princess? Luna is searching for the Princess of the Moon and if Sailor Moon is the Guardian of the Moon…wouldn't she be the Princess I am supposed to find?

Pluto must have realized what I am thinking and nods her long elegant head. I have a hard time glaring at her, due to her soft smooth skin. Compared to my rough and battered ones I don't feel so handsome, not that I had a shot at comparing with her sheer beauty. "Good bye, Uzumaki Naruto." The beam is about to be thrown. "Farewell in the next world."

As I put my arms around my chest and wait for impact something intercepts the blast and I see hundreds of stars twirl in the night. I look to my right and see that her energy attack is being blocked by another energy attack, only this one is made up of a ring of stars that is coming from…another Senshi! This Senshi drops to the ground in front of me and I get a good look up her skirt to see racy orange panties.

She is wearing a fuku similar to Rei and Ami and I see that she has hair as blond as my own. It cascades down her back and down to her legs. It is wrapped around a large red ribbon and she is wearing heels similar to Sailor Mars.

I take a look at her long legs and try not to admire it too closely because they are a fine set and I can get lost in them. All thin and tall, sort of like Pluto only it looks like it belongs on a human being, not some half-Goddess like thing. She turns around and gives me a dazzling smile and I curse at the large glasses she wears that look like they belong on Tuxedo Mask.

Please don't tell me she is in league with that clown.

"Ho, ho! Defender of Justice! I have come to your aid." Damn it all! She better not start throwing plants!"I am Sailor V, and have come to your rescue."

She makes a pose and thrusts out her hips suggestively. My boner from seeing Sailor Pluto hardens even more and I resist the urge to jizz in my pants as I see her shapely rear press against her orange skirt. Instead I focus on her face and give her my own grin which she returns. This one is a lot friendlier than the other Sailor Senshi and I already feel like we have something in common. "You want some help, big boy?" Is she flirting with me? Nice. "That's a lot of woman you got there."

I look at Pluto who stands there and folds her long hands over her heaving bosom. "Leave now, before I am forced to beat you to the ground. You are expendable Venus." She pulls up her staff and points it at the new Senshi. "And tell Artemis to stop hiding."

Venus sighs and calls out a white cat who grouchily comes out from some rubble. Then the cat sees Luna and Luna starts to chase him. I try not to laugh at the scene and fail. It seems like the white kitten has a fear of my little old Luna. Makes sense in a twisted way. Luna makes me afraid sometimes, and she is 1/20 my size. I can't imagine the pure terror someone of her height must feel.

Luna catches the white cat and starts talking to it, and the white cat starts to cry until Luna starts smacking it with her palms and they both argue in full throttle. Meanwhile I look at Sailor V and try to get a better feeling for my situation. "Can you take her?" I ask. "You saw the fight."

Sailor V gives me a peace sign and thrusts out her hips again. I try not to stare, but she has a nice behind. "Just leave it to me, Sailor V," she says, then bends down to cup my face in her hands. "Can't let a cute guy like you die, not when I am the Sailor of Love and Justice." What do you know? Female Tuxedo Kamen. Only this one looks competent.

She takes a few steps to the much, much taller Sailor Pluto and folds her hands over her chest. Sailor Pluto is still folding her own arms around her chest and all that does is make her breasts press together showing off more nipple area. "So this is what you decide?" Pluto says, frowning. "Very well, I'll have to teach you something about being a warrior, girl."

Sailor V smiles and immediately charges the large breasted Senshi, knocking her onto the ground. The orange clad girl straddles the taller woman and starts hammering at her face. Pluto is shocked at first but slams her own fist to the girls face, sending her crashing through a telephone booth. V doesn't let this phase her and just stands up.

She dusts off some of the grime she got from sliding onto the floor and then frowns. She looks to her side. "Shit, cops," she says. She looks at me." You better get out of here."

I want to ask her how, but something drops behind me and I can feel a hand press on my back. "Don't worry, I have that covered." He gives me a thumbs up and I try not to punch the Tuxedo wearing asshole on the face. "There something you don't know about me." There is probably a whole list of things I would be happy not knowing. "Grab on."

Reluctantly I limp onto his back and cop cars start to surround us. Before I can ask what he is about to do I feel gravity start to mold and shift around him. The reality that held everything together in that small dense perimeter where he stood start to disappear and something powerful starts to flow out of this Tuxedo wearing freak. His cape starts to extend and his expression becomes serious. His mask starts to glow, and rose petals start to flow around us. It starts to spin and spin in a tornado, and the police cars are dumping out their officers by the boatloads as they come charging towards the hail of spinning petals.

Tuxedo Kamen bends his knees, coils all his power into his feet, grins at them, and blasts into the night sky. I try not to scream at this guy's idiocy since he is not jumping towards a building, but towards the Moon instead, but then frown when I realize that we are not dropping. In fact we continue to ascend into the air, and instead of slowing down we are moving faster and faster.

"You…you could have flown all along?" I gasp. "We were chased by police, chased by Youma, and had to chase a Youma in a bus…but you could have just flown all this time?"

Tuxedo Mask turns to me looking confused. "Of course not," he says. Then smiles. "But I can glide."

When we land. I am going to kick him in the nuts.

Eventually we all meet in the Hirikawa Shrine. Tuxedo Mask called a cab for the girls to head there, and floated me back to that location. It was terrifying flying in the night sky while a helicopter tried to gun us down, but somehow the roses he gave off managed to cover our tracks. One of these days I am going to learn how he does that. It is probably the gayest attack I have seen in my life, but it's damn useful.

"So, we've sold one mystery," Luna says. Sitting on Rei's dining room table."But this just leads us to more questions."

I nod. "She seems to think I am a demon." I pause. "Pretty sure I am not."

"But you could be," Luna admits. Then snorts. "But I doubt it. This is probably just a very clever tactic by the Dark Kingdom."

Mercury agrees. "It sounds like a good plan." She hands Rei the tea set. "What do you think Rei?"

"First off, I still don't buy all this Dark Kingdom bull crap, but I do believe in Youma." She pauses then points her finger at me." This one is most certainly a demon."

I glare at her. "I am a human," I say. "Just like you."

"Prove it!" she says, frowning. "I saw you do things no human could do and you gave off so much Youkai!

I don't answer.

"In any case, this new Dark Senshi is after you, Uzumaki," Luna says. "According to Artemis, he and Venus have been keeping tabs on her. Her only mission is your head." She frowns. "I still haven't forgiven Artemis for hiding Sailor Venus from me."

I scowl. "Sailor Venus was here all along, and that white cat-shit just let me fight the Youma on my own?" I ask. Luna nods. "You want me to skin him?"

Luna smiles. "Maybe I'll take you up on that offer." I don't like her smile.

Rei coughs. "Charming, I am so very concerned for your life. Would you like my help? Would you like me to dress up in that perverted uniform to help you fight the Dark Kingdom?" She does this in such a sweet voice that I have to control myself from punching her. "Seriously, you people have problems. I say we just let the Police take care of this."

"It's not that simple, Mars," Mercury says coldly. "The Police don't even believe in the existence of these creatures. They can't arrest something they don't think is a real threat."

While Ami and Rei argue about threats Luna walks to my lap. "Naruto, I've been thinking about your training. That is why I was at Central today."

"Weren't you at the arcade?"

"That's where Central is!"

I don't comment on that. " Naruto, that Kage Bunshin. I have analyzed everything you told me about it and I think you can use it for training."

I look at her with caution. "How?"

The cat grins. "Well, if you get the memories of each of those clones then if you were to make a hundred of them and they each trained…."

.

.

During our walk to school Ami and me run into a very unusual scene.

"Watch where ya go, punk!" a brown haired girl yells at Taro. I try not to smile at Taro's expression. He looks lost. Has no idea what to do. "Ya got eyes don't ya?"

The bastard frowns. "I do, now if you want to keep yours get out of my way, Yankee." Before Taro could get another word in a fist slams into his face and his gang immediately catch him. "The hell was that for?"

"I don't like da look on ya face, asshole," she sneers. She stands as tall as me, and probably weighs almost as much. This girl has serious balls. "Fight ma!"

Before the guys could get another word in the girl runs into the middle of the group of boys, who are all smaller than her and gives a furious round house kick. Ami gasps beside me seeing the girls long legs break the nose of several of Taro's friends and I whistle in appreciation when she jabs her left elbow into a really fat asshole's guts.

The guy doubles over and vomits his lunch and the girl takes his head and slams it into the vomit. She then looks up and grins at Taro who is ready to slam his fist into the back of the girl's head, but she sweeps past his arm and slams a fist into his stomach getting him toppled onto another opponent. She thin flips back and slams her long legs around and stabs with her feet. It makes impact on a tall guy's chest and he is slammed to the floor.

Then someone pulls out a switch blade and charges at her, and I decide to step in. I come in between the guy and the tall girl, and flip the guy over a nearby wall. The boy doesn't get up due to the hit on the skull I gave him before I let go and I turn to face the girl who is looking me up and down. She points to something behind me and I backhand one of Taro's goons onto a fence then turn to see the boys all gathering into their crowd.

"What the hell!" Taro says. "Gaijin, this bitch started it!"

I look back at the girl. "He has a point. Why did you do that?"

The girl gives me a shit eating grin. Her face is long, her neck is long, her chest is a lot bigger than a normal Japanese girl, and she has a fine set of legs. She gives me a lopsided grin and even touches my cheek. This gets a glare from Ami who is stepping close to us, and I frown. "You aren't answering me," I continue. "Why did you do that?"

Her grin widens. "….good question." She walks around me, assessing me up and down. "But ya know…ya look familiar." She stops and actually pinches my butt cheek. I put my hand on it and glare at the girl. Taro looks pissed too. Good Japanese girls aren't supposed to do that, and Taro is a man of etiquette. He's an embodiment of everything good and bad about them.

"Uzumaki-san," Ami says, grabbing my arm. "I think we should leave."

"Go, we'll take care of this Yankee, Gaijin," Taro says. His cold eyes look into my own. "We'll deal with you later." This guy has a serious problem. What the hell have I done to him?

The brunette smirks. She shifts her pony tail from side to side. "Ahh, ya are really gonna let a poor defenseless girl like ma alone wit dem punks?" She latches onto my arm. The brunette smells really nice at this distance. "Help ma out here."

Ami looks at Taro and bows to him. "We apologize for interrupting, but hitting a woman in public is not becoming of a Member of the Clan."

Taro looks at Ami in surprise; he blushes and mumbles something to his friends. They turn around and walk away, but not before Taro looks at Ami one last time. I don't like this. The way Taro is looking at the blunette. Sure I don't know much about Ami, but now that she is a Senshi I guess we are part of the same side.

"You know…" the brunette holding my shoulder says, rubbing my sensitive spot. "Ya kinda look like ma old sempai…" Her smile drops. "I hated him."

She gives me a hard punch to the stomach, laughs, and skips away to school.

"Are you okay?" Ami asks, lowering herself to my level.

I grin wryly, "I've been hit by buses, smashed through walls, and stomped on by demons." I smile. "What do you think?"

She sighs, and looks away. "I think you try too hard."

"And I think I don't try enough."

"You need help."

"Who'll help me?" I ask.

The girl pauses, her face turns slightly red, and she looks away. "I…" she mumbles.

"What? I didn't catch that?"

"I said…I would have helped you." Her blue eyes look back to my own. There is an emotion I can't decipher, but it's there. "If you let me that is."

"I-." I want to tell her that she can't. Not with someone like me. Me who is made of darkness, but there is a voice in my mind that is telling me to give her a chance. "I'm not sure I'm ready to trust anyone."

"You can try with me."

"Why?"

"Because I…I don't think you're evil, Naruto-san." Her face is burning. This is like Hinata all over again. Cute, but annoying. "Let me help you, and I promise…" She takes a deep breath. "I promise I'll never let you down!"

She closes her eyes, and waits for my response.

Do I take it? Do I accept it? Do I turn away?

What to do. What to DO. "One," I say with a sigh. "You've got one chance. That's it." I take her hand, which is extends, and allow her to pull me up. "Mizu-, I mean, Ami-san."

Her aquamarine eyes open wide at the use of her name, and then she does something I've never seen her do.

She smiles.

It's beautiful. "I'd like that."

I nod, and turn away. I take a few steps, and she takes a few behind me. I don't know what the future holds. Whether it's heaven or hell, chaos or salvation, but I do know this.

I've found friends. They may not be the best of them, and some of them are downright ridiculous (Tuxedo Kamen), but they are mine, and I have to protect them, not just because the fate of the world depends on it, but because I depend on it too.

"Ahh! I'm going to be late! Nooo" and as the voice of Usagi chimes through the air, while the bell rings, I can't help but smile.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." I smile even wider. "Just thinking how you looked in that Senshi uniform…"

.

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**Fini **

Please Review: There was going to be a chapter six, but I realized if I wrote it, it would be trash. I just ran out of steam, and fortunately this seems like a good spot to end it. I'll write a sequel in the future, once I've got the same love for my childhood sailor scouts back. Seriously, I can't believe I wrote this all within 2 weeks. Unbelievable! Looking back I must have been either extremely motivated, or extremely horny. I'll try not to do that in the future. I hope you enjoyed the tale, and let me know what you think!


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